Secar describes removing moisture; secarse can describe drying oneself or becoming dry.

The idea

Use seco with yo and nos secamos las manos when we dry our own hands.

Examples

  • Seco los platos con una toalla.I dry the dishes with a towel.
  • Ella seca la mesa después de limpiarla.She dries the table after cleaning it.
  • Nos secamos las manos antes de salir.We dry our hands before leaving.
  • ¿Puedes secar el vaso?Can you dry the glass?
  • La ropa se seca al sol.The clothes dry in the sun.
  • Me seco el pelo con una toalla.I dry my hair with a towel.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Spanish voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

La ropa se seca means the clothes dry; me seco el pelo means I dry my own hair.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the present form for yo: Yo ___ los platos con una toalla. (seco / secas)

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    seco

    Seco is the present form for yo.

  2. Choose the pronoun and verb for nosotros drying their own hands: Nosotros ___ las manos. (nos secamos / me secamos)

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    nos secamos

    Nos secamos identifies nosotros drying their own hands.

  3. Choose the action that removes water from the glass: El vaso está mojado; quiero quitarle el agua: voy a ___. (secarlo / mojarlo)

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    secarlo

    Secarlo means drying the glass; mojarlo means wetting it.

Use it today

Describe what you dry with a towel and where clothes dry.