A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "How do i wash this" in French
Ask how to wash an item in French, perfect for laundry or dry cleaning queries.
Comment je lave ça ?
koh-MAHN zhuh lahv sahneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when you're at a laundromat and unsure about the settings, or when buying clothing and wanting to know the washing instructions.
Alternatives
- Comment lave-t-on ça ?Slightly more formal, good for written instructions or a more distant tone.
- Comment on lave ça ?More casual, common in everyday spoken French.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'comment'
The 't' at the end of 'comment' is silent, so it sounds like 'koh-mahn'.
Silent 'e' in 'lave'
The final 'e' in 'lave' is silent, so it's pronounced 'lahv'.
A small cultural note
Many clothing items in France will have a small symbol on the tag indicating washing instructions, which can be helpful even if you don't ask.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
how to say how do I wash this in french
The most common way to ask is 'Comment je lave ça ?'. This is a clear and direct question for any washing query.
french for washing clothes
To ask about washing clothes in general, you could say 'Comment on lave les vêtements ?'. For a specific item, use 'Comment je lave ça ?'.
french for dry cleaning instructions
You can use 'Comment je lave ça ?' and the person will likely understand you're asking about care instructions. For specificity, you might add 'à sec' (dry clean) if you know that's the method.
