мыть vs мыться

myt' vs myt'sya — wash something/someone vs wash oneself

What it really means

Мыть is transitive: it takes the thing or person being washed. Мыться is reflexive and means wash oneself, bathe, or shower; the -ся shows that the subject receives the action.

Examples in natural speech

Я мою посуду.
I am washing the dishes.
Ребёнок моется перед сном.
The child washes before bed.
Она моет машину.
She is washing the car.
Мы любим мыться в душе.
We like showering.
Помой руки.
Wash your hands.

Common mistakes

Do not say *я мою when you mean “I am washing myself”: without -ся, мыть needs an object. Conversely, Я мою ребёнка means I am washing the child, not that the child is washing themself.

Memory tip

Treat -ся as water splashing back onto the subject: мыть sends the washing to an object; мыться sends it back to oneself.

Frequently asked questions

Why can «помой руки» omit «свои»?

Russian normally omits possessive pronouns for body parts when the owner is obvious. Помой руки naturally means wash your own hands.

Can мыться mean “have a bath”?

Yes. Мыться can refer generally to washing oneself in a shower, bath, or sauna; context indicates the setting.

How do I say that someone is washing another person?

Use мыть plus the person as a direct object: Мама моет ребёнка, медсестра моет пациента.

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