Spanish Phrase
Llévate tu basura.
Meaning
A direct, informal command telling someone to take their own trash away. It’s used when you want the listener to clean up the garbage they produced, often in homes, offices, or public spaces.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual settings with friends, family, or coworkers when you need them to remove their rubbish. It’s too informal for a formal request; in that case you’d say ‘Llévese su basura’ or ‘Por favor, retire su basura’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Llévatetubasura.
Imperative + Reflexive Pronoun
‘Llévate’ is the affirmative tú‑imperative of the reflexive verb ‘llevarse’, formed by attaching the pronoun ‘te’ to the verb stem.
Possessive Adjective ‘tu’
‘tu’ (without accent) is the possessive adjective meaning ‘your’. It never takes an accent; ‘tú’ is the subject pronoun.
Noun ‘basura’
‘basura’ is a feminine singular noun meaning ‘trash, garbage’. It follows the regular -a noun pattern.
🗨In Conversation
Llévate tu basura.
Take your trash away.
¡Claro, la llevo al contenedor!
Sure, I’ll take it to the bin!
✕Common Mistakes
Lleva tu basura.
Missing the reflexive pronoun changes the nuance; ‘lleva’ just means ‘carry’, not ‘take away’. Use ‘llévate’ for the command to remove the trash.
Llévate tu basurá.
‘Basura’ never carries an accent. Adding one creates a spelling error.
Llévate tú basura.
The accent on ‘tú’ turns the possessive adjective into the subject pronoun, which is incorrect here.
↔Alternatives
Recoge tu basura.
Pick up your trash.
Lleva tu basura.
Take your trash.
Saca tu basura.
Take out your trash.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, keeping public and shared spaces clean is a strong social value. Using the reflexive form ‘llevarse’ emphasizes personal responsibility – you’re ‘taking away’ something that belongs to you. Remember to switch to the formal ‘Llévese su basura’ when speaking to strangers or superiors.