What does lavar mean?
lavar means to wash in English. It is a regular -ar verb.
It can also be used with these related meanings: to wipe, clear (disgrace, doubt etc.); to wash oneself.
Spanish verb guide
Lavar Conjugation in Spanish
Learn lavar, meaning to wash, through verified forms and contextual examples.
regular-argerund: lavandoparticiple: lavado
Principal forms of lavar
- Infinitive
- lavar
- Gerund
- lavando
- Past participle
- lavado
Lavar conjugation table
Compare the present, preterite, imperfect, and future forms. Reflexive pronouns are included where the verb requires them.
| Pronoun | Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Future |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | lavo | lavé | lavaba | lavaré |
| tú | lavas | lavaste | lavabas | lavarás |
| él / ella / usted | lava | lavó | lavaba | lavará |
| nosotros/as | lavamos | lavamos | lavábamos | lavaremos |
| ellos/as / ustedes | lavan | lavaron | lavaban | lavarán |
Pattern notes
- Lavar follows the regular -ar pattern in the four tenses shown here.
Examples with lavar
Se lavaron en el río.They washed themselves in the river.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Una mano lava la otra.One hand washes the other.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Ellos se lavan las manos.They wash their hands.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Practice prompts
- Conjugate lavar for yo in the present.
- Use the preterite form for ella.
- Say the nosotros/as imperfect form.
- Write a short sentence in the future.
Practice lavar online
Use VerbyGo for a quick conjugation round with instant feedback and accent checking.