Spanish Phrase
¿Sacaste la basura?
Meaning
A direct question asking whether the listener has already taken the household trash out to the bin or collection point. It implies the action should have been done by now.
When to use
Use this sentence after you notice the trash is still inside, or when you want to confirm that the chore has been completed. It’s common in families, roommates, or among coworkers sharing an office kitchen.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Sacastelabasura?
Preterite of sacar
‘Sacaste’ is the second‑person singular preterite form of ‘sacar’, used for completed actions in the past.
Definite article ‘la’
‘La’ agrees with the feminine noun ‘basura’ and marks it as a specific thing.
Set phrase ‘sacar la basura’
In Spanish, ‘sacar la basura’ is the idiomatic way to say ‘take out the trash’.
🗨In Conversation
¿Sacaste la basura?
Did you take out the trash?
Sí, ya la llevé al contenedor.
Yes, I already took it to the bin.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Tiraste la basura?
‘Tirar’ means ‘to throw away’, not ‘to take out’ to the collection point.
¿Sacaste la basurá?
The accent on ‘basurá’ is incorrect; the word is ‘basura’ with stress on the penultimate syllable.
↔Alternatives
¿Ya sacaste la basura?
Did you already take out the trash?
¿Has sacado la basura?
Have you taken out the trash?
¿Podrías sacar la basura?
Could you take out the trash?
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking households, taking out the trash is a shared responsibility and the phrase is usually spoken in a casual, friendly tone. In some regions (e.g., Mexico) people may also say ‘¿Ya sacaste la basura?’ to stress that the action should be done by now, while in Spain the present tense ‘¿Sacas la basura?’ can be used for a habitual reminder.