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Italian Phrase

Puoi passare l'aspirapolvere in salotto?

/ˈpwɔi pasˈsaːre le as.pi.raˈvol.re in salˈlɔt.to/
Meaning"Can you vacuum the living room?"
💡

Meaning

A polite request asking someone to vacuum the living room. The structure *puoi + infinitive* conveys a friendly ask for help, while *passare l'aspirapolvere* is the common way to say ‘to vacuum’ in Italian.

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When to use

Use this sentence when you need a housemate, family member, or friend to clean the living room. It works in informal and semi‑formal settings, such as among roommates, at a family gathering, or when you’re sharing chores.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Puoipassarel'aspirapolvereinsalotto?

1

Puoi (potere)

Second‑person singular present of *potere*, used to ask for ability or permission in a polite request.

2

passare (verb)

Here *passare* means ‘to run/operate’ a device; with *l'aspirapolvere* it idiomatically means ‘to vacuum’.

3

l' (elided article)

The definite article *il* contracts to *l'* before a vowel‑initial noun.

4

aspirapolvere (noun)

Masculine singular noun meaning ‘vacuum cleaner’; treated as a regular masculine noun.

5

in (preposition)

Used to indicate the place where the action takes place; *in* + noun = ‘in the …’

6

salotto (noun)

Masculine singular meaning ‘living room’ or ‘sitting room’.

🗨In Conversation

A

Puoi passare l'aspirapolvere in salotto?

Can you vacuum the living room?

Certo, lo faccio subito.

Sure, I'll do it right away.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Puoi aspirare l'aspirapolvere in salotto?

    Using *aspirare* with *l'aspirapolvere* is redundant; the natural expression is *passare l'aspirapolvere*.

  • Puoi passare l'aspirapolvere al salotto?

    The preposition *al* (a + il) is not used for rooms; use *in*.

↔Alternatives

  • Puoi passare l'aspirapolvere?

    Can you vacuum?

  • Ti va di passare l'aspirapolvere in salotto?

    Would you like to vacuum the living room?

  • Potresti passare l'aspirapolvere in salotto?

    Could you vacuum the living room?

it

Cultural Tip

In Italian households the verb *passare* is the idiomatic way to talk about using a vacuum cleaner; saying *aspirare l'aspirapolvere* sounds redundant. The preposition *in* is preferred over *al* when referring to a room (e.g., *in salotto*, not *al salotto*). Regional spelling variations such as *aspirapolvere* vs. *aspirapolvere* are both understood, but the former is more common in the north.