Preparare Conjugation in Italian
preparare means “to prepare” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 111 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It is the verb for preparing a meal, a lesson or a plan, and it is completely regular in every tense. Its reflexive partner prepararsi means to get ready, and the two share the same stem and endings. This page gives you the complete conjugation of preparare — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Io preparo la cena ogni giorno.” — “I prepare dinner.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: preparare
- English: to prepare
- Verb type: Regular -are verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: preparando
- Present participle: preparante
- Past participle: preparato
- Auxiliary: avere (all perfect tenses are formed with avere + the past participle)
- Ending: -are verbs; pattern are in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for preparare, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read preparare in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about preparare
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -are pattern, so once you know the stem you can build the whole table. The only work is learning the endings, not memorising exceptions.
- The perfect tenses use avere: the passato prossimo is formed with avere in the present plus the past participle preparato. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The participles are preparante and preparato: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the present participle appears as an adjective and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. If you know those two forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for preparare. Learn the present tense first, then the passato prossimo and the imperfect, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | preparo |
| tu | prepari |
| lui/lei | prepara |
| noi | prepariamo |
| voi | preparate |
| loro | preparano |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io preparo la cena ogni giorno.” — “I prepare dinner”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | preparai |
| tu | preparasti |
| lui/lei | preparò |
| noi | preparammo |
| voi | preparaste |
| loro | prepararono |
The passato remoto is used for completed actions in the distant past, mostly in written and literary Italian and in the south of Italy. For example: “Io preparai la cena ieri.” — “I prepared dinner”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | preparavo |
| tu | preparavi |
| lui/lei | preparava |
| noi | preparavamo |
| voi | preparavate |
| loro | preparavano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io preparavo la cena una volta.” — “I used to prepare dinner”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | preparerò |
| tu | preparerai |
| lui/lei | preparerà |
| noi | prepareremo |
| voi | preparerete |
| loro | prepareranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io preparerò la cena domani.” — “I will prepare dinner”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | preparerei |
| tu | prepareresti |
| lui/lei | preparerebbe |
| noi | prepareremmo |
| voi | preparereste |
| loro | preparerebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io preparerei la cena un giorno.” — “I would prepare dinner”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ho preparato |
| tu | hai preparato |
| lui/lei | ha preparato |
| noi | abbiamo preparato |
| voi | avete preparato |
| loro | hanno preparato |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui ha preparato la cena questa settimana.” — “He has prepared dinner”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avevo preparato |
| tu | avevi preparato |
| lui/lei | aveva preparato |
| noi | avevamo preparato |
| voi | avevate preparato |
| loro | avevano preparato |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io avevo preparato la cena prima della festa.” — “I had prepared dinner”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrò preparato |
| tu | avrai preparato |
| lui/lei | avrà preparato |
| noi | avremo preparato |
| voi | avrete preparato |
| loro | avranno preparato |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io avrò preparato la cena per domani.” — “I will have prepared dinner”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrei preparato |
| tu | avresti preparato |
| lui/lei | avrebbe preparato |
| noi | avremmo preparato |
| voi | avreste preparato |
| loro | avrebbero preparato |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io avrei preparato la cena ieri.” — “I would have prepared dinner”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | prepari |
| tu | prepari |
| lui/lei | prepari |
| noi | prepariamo |
| voi | prepariate |
| loro | preparino |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io prepari la cena.” — “It is important that I prepare dinner”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | preparassi |
| tu | preparassi |
| lui/lei | preparasse |
| noi | preparassimo |
| voi | preparaste |
| loro | preparassero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io preparassi la cena.” — “It was important that I prepare dinner”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | prepara |
| lui/lei | prepari |
| noi | prepariamo |
| voi | preparate |
| loro | preparino |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Prepara la cena!” — “Prepare dinner!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | preparare |
| lui/lei | prepari |
| noi | prepariamo |
| voi | prepariate |
| loro | preparino |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non preparare la cena.” — “Do not prepare dinner.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | preparando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Preparando la cena, imparo molto.” — “While preparing dinner, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | preparante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle preparante is used to describe something that is happening at the same time as the main action, much like an English -ing adjective.
Past participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Past participle | preparato |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io ho preparato la cena questa settimana.” — “I have prepared dinner.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with preparare, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io preparo la cena ogni giorno.” — “I prepare dinner”
- “Tu preparasti la cena ieri.” — “You prepared dinner”
- “Lui preparava la cena una volta.” — “He used to prepare dinner”
- “Io preparerò la cena domani.” — “I will prepare dinner”
- “Tu prepareresti la cena un giorno.” — “You would prepare dinner”
- “Lui ha preparato la cena questa settimana.” — “He has prepared dinner”
- “Io avevo preparato la cena prima della festa.” — “I had prepared dinner”
- “Tu avrai preparato la cena per domani.” — “You will have prepared dinner”
- “È importante che io prepari la cena.” — “It is important that I prepare dinner”
- “Prepara la cena!” — “Prepare dinner!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io preparare la cena.”
✓ Right: “Io preparo la cena ogni giorno.”
The infinitive preparare never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form preparo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io prepari la cena.”
✓ Right: “Io preparo la cena ogni giorno.”
prepari is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with preparo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io preparo la cena ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io ho preparato la cena questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo ho preparato for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io sono preparato la cena.”
✓ Right: “Io ho preparato la cena questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of preparare is formed with avere plus the past participle preparato: the io form is ho preparato. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “È importante che io preparo la cena.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io prepari la cena.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use prepari here, not the indicative preparo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io ho preparando la cena.”
✓ Right: “Io ho preparato la cena questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle preparato, not the gerund preparando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on preparare. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of preparare in the Present indicative?
- A) prepari
- B) preparo
- C) prepara
- D) prepariamo
What is the lui/lei form of preparare in the Passato remoto?
- A) preparai
- B) preparasti
- C) preparò
- D) preparammo
What is the noi form of preparare in the Imperfect?
- A) preparavo
- B) preparavi
- C) preparava
- D) preparavamo
What is the tu form of preparare in the Future?
- A) preparerai
- B) preparerò
- C) preparerà
- D) prepareremo
What is the io form of preparare in the Conditional?
- A) prepareresti
- B) preparerei
- C) preparerebbe
- D) prepareremmo
What is the lui/lei form of preparare in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) ho preparato
- B) hai preparato
- C) ha preparato
- D) abbiamo preparato
What is the lui/lei form of preparare in the Present subjunctive?
- A) prepariamo
- B) prepariate
- C) preparino
- D) prepari
What is the io form of preparare in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) preparassi
- B) preparasse
- C) preparassimo
- D) preparaste
What is the gerund of preparare?
- A) preparato
- B) preparando
- C) preparare
- D) preparo
What does preparare mean in English?
- A) to explain
- B) to answer
- C) to prepare
- D) to ask
Answer key
- B) preparo — the correct form is preparo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) preparò — the correct form is preparò. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) preparavamo — the correct form is preparavamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) preparerai — the correct form is preparerai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) preparerei — the correct form is preparerei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ha preparato — the correct form is ha preparato. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) prepari — the correct form is prepari. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) preparassi — the correct form is preparassi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) preparando — the correct form is preparando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to prepare — the correct form is to prepare. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does preparare mean in English?
preparare means “to prepare”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is preparare regular or irregular?
preparare is regular: it follows the ordinary -are pattern in every tense. The gerund is preparando and the past participle is preparato.
What are the gerund and past participle of preparare?
The gerund is preparando — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is preparato — use it with avere for the perfect tenses, as in ho preparato.
Which auxiliary does preparare take in the passato prossimo?
preparare takes avere in the passato prossimo: the io form is ho preparato. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avere plus the past participle preparato.
How do I say “I prepare” in Italian?
Say “Io preparo la cena ogni giorno.” — “I prepare dinner” The io form of the present is preparo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of preparare — every tense of preparare in one place.
- Preparare in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Preparare examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Italian present tense guide — the full guide to the present tense in Italian.
- Spiegare conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Domandare conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Italian verbs — the full hub of Italian conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise preparare with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise preparare with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise preparare with the interactive tool.