dirty clothes
Soiled garments
Use 'dirty clothes' for any worn items that need cleaning before they can be worn again.
En 15 secondes
- Garments that need washing because they are used or stained.
- Commonly used when discussing household chores or travel packing.
- Usually kept in a laundry basket or a hamper.
Signification
These are clothes that you have already worn and are now sweaty, dusty, or stained. They need to be washed in a machine or by hand before you wear them again.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Talking to a roommate
Can you move your dirty clothes off the sofa?
Can you move your dirty clothes off the sofa?
At a hotel front desk
Do you provide bags for dirty clothes?
Do you provide bags for dirty clothes?
Texting a partner
I'm finally washing that mountain of dirty clothes!
I'm finally washing that mountain of dirty clothes!
Contexte culturel
In English-speaking cultures, keeping 'dirty clothes' in a hidden hamper is a standard sign of a tidy home. The phrase is also linked to the idiom 'to air one's dirty laundry,' which means to discuss private, embarrassing secrets in public. Historically, laundry day was a major social event before the invention of the washing machine.
The 'Hamper' Secret
In American English, we almost always put `dirty clothes` in a `hamper`. In British English, they often call it a `washing basket`.
Smell Check
If you aren't sure if something is `dirty clothes`, people often do a 'sniff test'. It's a bit gross, but everyone does it!
En 15 secondes
- Garments that need washing because they are used or stained.
- Commonly used when discussing household chores or travel packing.
- Usually kept in a laundry basket or a hamper.
What It Means
Dirty clothes refers to any apparel that is no longer fresh. It is the pile of socks, shirts, and jeans waiting for laundry day. If you spilled coffee on your shirt, it is now dirty clothes. If you wore a gym shirt for an hour, it belongs in the dirty clothes pile. It is a simple, literal term used every day in every English-speaking home.
How To Use It
You use this phrase as a noun to describe the state of your laundry. You can say you are "doing the dirty clothes" or "sorting the dirty clothes." It usually functions as the object of a sentence. Use it when talking to family, roommates, or even at a hotel. It is very common to see this paired with the word hamper or basket.
When To Use It
Use it when you are at home and need to clean up. Tell your partner, "Please don't leave your dirty clothes on the floor!" Use it when traveling if you need a bag for your used items. It is perfect for casual conversations about chores or packing for a trip. You might even use it when complaining about how much laundry you have to do.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid using this phrase to describe someone's character or personality. While there is an idiom "washing your dirty laundry in public," the phrase dirty clothes itself is very literal. Do not use it in a high-end fashion meeting to describe a "distressed" look. In those cases, use words like weathered or vintage. Also, don't use it if the clothes are just messy but actually clean.
Cultural Background
In many Western cultures, dirty clothes are kept out of sight. Most homes have a specific basket called a hamper just for these items. There is a common social rule: never wear dirty clothes to a job interview or a date. Doing the laundry is a weekly ritual for most people. Some people even have a "chair" in their bedroom dedicated to dirty clothes that aren't quite dirty enough for the wash yet!
Common Variations
You will often hear people say laundry instead of dirty clothes. Soiled linen is a much more formal version used in hospitals or hotels. Wash is another common synonym, as in "I have a big wash to do." Some people might just say dirties in a very casual family setting. However, dirty clothes remains the most clear and standard way to say it.
Notes d'usage
This is a neutral, everyday collocation. It is safe to use in almost any setting, though 'soiled' is preferred in professional medical or hospitality contexts.
The 'Hamper' Secret
In American English, we almost always put `dirty clothes` in a `hamper`. In British English, they often call it a `washing basket`.
Smell Check
If you aren't sure if something is `dirty clothes`, people often do a 'sniff test'. It's a bit gross, but everyone does it!
The Social Taboo
Talking about your `dirty clothes` is fine, but showing them to guests is usually considered a bit messy or rude.
Exemples
6Can you move your dirty clothes off the sofa?
Can you move your dirty clothes off the sofa?
A direct but casual request about household tidiness.
Do you provide bags for dirty clothes?
Do you provide bags for dirty clothes?
A polite inquiry about laundry services.
I'm finally washing that mountain of dirty clothes!
I'm finally washing that mountain of dirty clothes!
Using 'mountain' adds a touch of humor to a boring chore.
I realized I'm wearing my dirty clothes from yesterday because I forgot to do laundry.
I realized I'm wearing my dirty clothes from yesterday because I forgot to do laundry.
A relatable, slightly embarrassing personal anecdote.
Make sure to keep your clean shirts away from your dirty clothes.
Make sure to keep your clean shirts away from your dirty clothes.
Practical advice for organizing a suitcase.
Put your dirty clothes in the basket, not on the floor.
Put your dirty clothes in the basket, not on the floor.
A standard parental instruction.
Teste-toi
Choose the best word to complete the sentence about chores.
I need to go to the laundromat because I have no clean shirts, only ___.
If you have no clean shirts, it means the ones you have left are dirty and need washing.
Complete the travel tip.
Always bring an extra plastic bag to separate your ___ from your fresh outfits.
Separating used (dirty) clothes from fresh ones is a common travel habit.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Ways to talk about laundry
Used with family or close friends.
The dirties
Standard everyday English.
Dirty clothes
Used in professional services or hospitality.
Soiled garments
Where you'll use 'Dirty Clothes'
At Home
Sorting the hamper
Traveling
Packing a laundry bag
Laundromat
Paying for a wash
Gym
Bagging sweaty gear
Questions fréquentes
11 questionsYes, it is a perfectly normal and polite phrase. You can use it with anyone from your mom to a hotel clerk.
Yes, laundry is very common. However, laundry can mean clean or dirty clothes, while dirty clothes is specific.
A hamper is a special basket or container where you store your dirty clothes until you are ready to wash them.
Soiled is a more formal and medical-sounding word. Use dirty clothes for your daily life.
Only if you work in a place that handles clothing, like a dry cleaner. Otherwise, it's a bit too personal for the office.
This is an idiom meaning you are talking about private problems in front of other people. It's not about actual clothes!
It is plural. You would say 'The dirty clothes ARE in the basket,' not 'is'.
You can ask, 'Could you please wash these dirty clothes for me?' or ask for 'laundry service'.
The opposite is clean clothes or fresh laundry.
That is very informal and a bit blunt. Use dirty clothes unless you are joking with a close friend.
Yes, dirty clothing is also correct, but it sounds slightly more formal or like a category in a store.
Expressions liées
Laundry day
The specific day of the week when you wash all your dirty clothes.
Load of wash
A group of dirty clothes that goes into the washing machine at one time.
Laundry hamper
The container where dirty clothes are kept.
To air one's dirty laundry
To discuss private or embarrassing matters in public.
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