prepárate
“prepárate” means “get ready” in Spanish (as a command).
get ready, prepare yourself
Also: brace yourself
📝 In Action
¡Prepárate! El autobús llega en cinco minutos.
A1Get ready! The bus arrives in five minutes.
Prepárate para la sorpresa. Es algo increíble.
A2Prepare yourself for the surprise. It's something incredible.
Tienes que estudiar mucho. Prepárate para el examen final.
B1You have to study a lot. Prepare yourself for the final exam.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: prepárate
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses the opposite, negative command form of 'prepárate'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin verb *praeparare*, meaning 'to make ready' or 'to procure beforehand.' The Spanish verb 'preparar' kept this meaning, and 'prepárate' is simply the command form of the reflexive version, meaning 'make yourself ready.'
First recorded: 13th century (as the root verb)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'prepárate' have an accent mark?
The accent mark is there to keep the natural stress of the word. When you attach the pronoun 'te' to the command 'prepara,' the stress would naturally shift, but the accent forces the stress to stay on the second 'a' (prepÁrate), making it sound like the base verb.
When should I use 'prepárate' instead of 'prepara'?
Use 'prepárate' (prepararse) when the action is done to the person themselves (get *yourself* ready). Use 'prepara' (preparar) when the action is done to an object (e.g., 'Prepara la cena' - Prepare the dinner).