How to Say "tidied up" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “tidied up” is “arregló” — use 'arregló' when the action involves fixing or repairing something while also tidying it up, implying a restoration to a functional or better state..
arregló
/ah-ray-GLO//are'ɣlo/
Examples
El mecánico arregló el coche y lo dejó impecable.
The mechanic tidied up the car and left it spotless.
El mecánico arregló el coche en una hora.
The mechanic fixed the car in one hour.
Ella arregló los libros en la estantería.
She arranged the books on the shelf.
El director arregló el problema con el cliente.
The director settled the problem with the client.
The Power of the Accent
The accent on the 'ó' is vital! It tells you the action was done by someone else (he, she, or it) in the past. Without it, 'arreglo' means 'I fix' (right now).
One Word, Many Jobs
In Spanish, we use this word for physical repairs (cars), mental tasks (problems), and organizing spaces (rooms).
Don't Forget the Accent
Mistake: “El arreglo el coche.”
Correction: El arregló el coche.
ordenó
or-deh-NOH/oɾ.ðeˈno/
Examples
Mi hermana ordenó su habitación, colocando los libros en la estantería.
My sister tidied up her room, placing the books on the shelf.
Mi hermana ordenó su colección de discos por género.
My sister organized her record collection by genre.
El bibliotecario ordenó todos los archivos antes de la inspección.
The librarian arranged all the files before the inspection.
recogió
/re-ko-HYOH//rekoˈxjo/
Examples
Recogió los juguetes del suelo para que nadie tropezara.
He tidied up the toys from the floor so no one would trip.
Ella recogió las llaves del suelo.
She picked up the keys from the floor.
El padre recogió a su hijo de la escuela.
The father picked up his son from school.
Él recogió toda su ropa antes de la cena.
He tidied up all his clothes before dinner.
The Importance of the Accent
The accent mark on the 'ó' tells you that the action is finished and happened in the past, specifically when talking about he, she, or it. Without the accent, the word doesn't exist in this form!
Who did the action?
This specific form 'recogió' is only used for the 'third person.' That means you use it for 'he' (él), 'she' (ella), or 'it' (like a machine or an animal), and 'you formal' (usted).
Spelling Confusion
Mistake: “recojió”
Correction: recogió (with a 'g'). Even though the present tense 'recojo' uses a 'j', this past form keeps the 'g' from the original verb 'recoger'.
Choosing between 'arregló' and 'ordenó'
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