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A person in an apron standing at a kitchen counter with ingredients, ready to cook.

preparé

preh-pah-REH

verbA1regular ar
I prepared?general use,I made?food or drinks
Also:I got ready?reflexive use with 'me',I set up?arranging something

Quick Reference

gerundpreparando
past Participlepreparado
infinitivepreparar

📝 In Action

Preparé una ensalada deliciosa para el almuerzo.

A1

I made a delicious salad for lunch.

Me preparé muy bien para la entrevista de trabajo.

A2

I prepared myself very well for the job interview.

Ayer preparé todo lo necesario para el viaje.

A1

Yesterday I prepared everything necessary for the trip.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • desordené (I messed up)
  • improvisé (I improvised)

Common Collocations

  • Preparé la maleta – I packed my suitcase
  • Preparé el café – I made the coffee
  • Preparé el terreno – I paved the way (metaphorical)

💡 Grammar Points

The Accent Mark Matters

The accent on the 'é' shows this action happened in the past and that 'I' did it. Without the accent, 'prepare' (pre-PAH-re) is used for wishes or commands.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing with the Present

Mistake: "Using 'preparo' to mean 'I prepared'."

Correction: Say 'preparé' for the past and 'preparo' for the present.

⭐ Usage Tips

Making Food

Spanish speakers often use 'preparar' instead of 'hacer' (to make) when talking about cooking meals.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesprepararan
yopreparara
túprepararas
vosotrosprepararais
nosotrospreparáramos
él/ella/ustedpreparara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedespreparen
yoprepare
túprepares
vosotrospreparéis
nosotrospreparemos
él/ella/ustedprepare

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesprepararon
yopreparé
túpreparaste
vosotrospreparasteis
nosotrospreparamos
él/ella/ustedpreparó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedespreparaban
yopreparaba
túpreparabas
vosotrospreparabais
nosotrospreparábamos
él/ella/ustedpreparaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedespreparan
yopreparo
túpreparas
vosotrospreparáis
nosotrospreparamos
él/ella/ustedprepara
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: preparé

Question 1 of 1

How would you say 'I prepared the dinner' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'preparo' and 'preparé'?

'Preparo' means 'I prepare' (happening now), while 'preparé' means 'I prepared' (happened before).

Do I always need to use 'yo' with 'preparé'?

No, because the ending '-é' already tells the listener that 'I' am the one who did the action.