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"Clean" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "limpiar", and "neat" is an adjective which is often translated as "ordenado". Learn more about the difference between "clean" and "neat" below.
clean(
klin
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
3. (not dirty)
a. limpio
I gave my son a clean T-shirt after the game.Le di a mi hijo una camiseta limpia después del partido.
4. (pure)
a. limpio
The water from the stream may seem clean enough to the eye, but it is not drinkable.El agua del arroyo puede parecer limpia a simple vista, pero no es potable.
c. refrescante
The clean taste of the lemon juice brings out all the other flavors of the salad.El sabor refrescante del jugo de limón hace resaltar todos los demás sabores de la ensalada.
d. no contaminante
We should use clean energy to protect the environment.DeberÃamos utilizar energÃa no contaminante para proteger el medioambiente.
6. (even)
a. nÃtido
The clean strokes are constant in the artist's work.Los trazos nÃtidos son una constante en la obra del artista.
b. bien definido
The boundaries must be clean to avoid any confusion.Los lÃmites deben estar bien definidos para evitar toda confusión.
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
He avoided the prison sentence because his criminal record was clean.Evitó la pena de cárcel porque no tenÃa antecedentes penales.
My son is a great student and has a clean reputation.Mi hijo es gran estudiante y tiene una reputación impecable.
8. (religious)
a. puro
According to some religions, the pig is not a clean animal.Según algunas religiones, el cerdo no es un animal puro.
9. (colloquial) (not possessing or doing anything illegal)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. sin problemas
It was a clean operation and everything went as expected.Fue una operación sin problemas y todo ocurrió como estaba previsto.
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
11. (colloquial) (completely)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. por completo
She clean forgot her appointment with the doctor.Se le olvidó por completo su cita con el médico.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
a. la limpieza (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Give the bathroom a good clean with bleach.Dale una buena limpieza al baño con lejÃa.
neat(
nit
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (tidy)
a. ordenado
If you want to go to the movies, I want to see your room neat.Si quieres ir al cine, quiero ver tu habitación ordenada.
b. bien cuidado
The gardener keeps our garden very neat.El jardinero mantiene nuestro jardÃn bien cuidado.
d. aseado
I want the house to be nice and neat for our guests.Quiero que la casa esté bien aseada para nuestros invitados.
f. prolijo (Argentina) (Paraguay) (Uruguay)
Regionalism used in Argentina
Regionalism used in Paraguay
Regionalism used in Uruguay
Beto looks so nice with his hair all neat.Beto se van tan lindo con su cabello todo prolijo.
a. genial
That's a neat phone you have. Where did you get it?Ese teléfono que tienes está genial. ¿Dónde lo compraste?
b. fantástico
Your outfit is really neat. I like it a lot.Tu atuendo está fantástico. Me gusta mucho.
c. chévere (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
I just heard a neat new song.Acabo de escuchar una nueva canción chévere.
d. padre (colloquial) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Mexico
What a neat pick-up!¡Qué padre está tu camioneta!
e. encachado (colloquial) (Bolivia) (Chile)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Bolivia
Regionalism used in Chile
The view from here is really neat.La vista desde aquà está muy encachada.
3. (straight)
4. (clever)
a. ingenioso
Your design for the new system is really neat.Tu diseño para el sistema nuevo es muy ingenioso.
5. (compact)
