Prepararsi Conjugation in Italian

prepararsi means “to get ready” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 765 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It is the reflexive verb for getting ready, and it is completely regular. Every form carries a reflexive pronoun, and the passato prossimo is formed with essere, as it is for all reflexive verbs. Its transitive partner preparare means to prepare something else. This page gives you the complete conjugation of prepararsi — 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 mi preparo ogni giorno.” — “I get ready.”

Quick facts

  • Infinitive: prepararsi
  • English: to get ready
  • Verb type: Regular -are verb
  • Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
  • Gerund: preparandosi
  • Present participle: preparante
  • Past participle: preparato
  • Auxiliary: essere (all perfect tenses are formed with essere + 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 prepararsi, 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 prepararsi in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.

Three things to remember about prepararsi

  1. 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.
  2. The perfect tenses use essere: the passato prossimo is formed with essere 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. Because prepararsi is reflexive, every form on this page carries its reflexive pronoun — mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si — and the passato prossimo is formed with essere. The engine gives the bare verb forms, so the pronouns here are the article layer that makes the forms usable in a sentence.
  3. 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 prepararsi. 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 mi preparo
tu ti prepari
lui/lei si prepara
noi ci prepariamo
voi vi preparate
loro si preparano

The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io mi preparo ogni giorno.” — “I get ready”

Passato remoto

Person Form
io mi preparai
tu ti preparasti
lui/lei si preparò
noi ci preparammo
voi vi preparaste
loro si 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 mi preparai ieri.” — “I got ready”

Imperfect (imperfetto)

Person Form
io mi preparavo
tu ti preparavi
lui/lei si preparava
noi ci preparavamo
voi vi preparavate
loro si preparavano

The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io mi preparavo una volta.” — “I used to get ready”

Future (futuro semplice)

Person Form
io mi preparerò
tu ti preparerai
lui/lei si preparerà
noi ci prepareremo
voi vi preparerete
loro si prepareranno

The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io mi preparerò domani.” — “I will get ready”

Conditional (condizionale)

Person Form
io mi preparerei
tu ti prepareresti
lui/lei si preparerebbe
noi ci prepareremmo
voi vi preparereste
loro si preparerebbero

The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io mi preparerei un giorno.” — “I would get ready”

Present perfect (passato prossimo)

Person Form
io mi sono preparato
tu ti sei preparato
lui/lei si è preparato
noi ci siamo preparato
voi vi siete preparato
loro si sono preparato

The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui si è preparato questa settimana.” — “He has got ready”

Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)

Person Form
io mi ero preparato
tu ti eri preparato
lui/lei si era preparato
noi ci eravamo preparato
voi vi eravate preparato
loro si erano preparato

The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io mi ero preparato prima della festa.” — “I had got ready”

Future perfect (futuro anteriore)

Person Form
io mi sarò preparato
tu ti sarai preparato
lui/lei si sarà preparato
noi ci saremo preparato
voi vi sarete preparato
loro si saranno preparato

The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io mi sarò preparato per domani.” — “I will have got ready”

Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)

Person Form
io mi sarei preparato
tu ti saresti preparato
lui/lei si sarebbe preparato
noi ci saremmo preparato
voi vi sareste preparato
loro si sarebbero preparato

The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io mi sarei preparato ieri.” — “I would have got ready”

Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)

Person Form
io mi prepari
tu ti prepari
lui/lei si prepari
noi ci prepariamo
voi vi prepariate
loro si preparino

The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io mi prepari.” — “It is important that I get ready”

Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)

Person Form
io mi preparassi
tu ti preparassi
lui/lei si preparasse
noi ci preparassimo
voi vi preparaste
loro si 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 mi preparassi.” — “It was important that I get ready”

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tu preparati
lui/lei si prepari
noi prepariamoci
voi preparatevi
loro si preparino

The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Preparati!” — “Get ready!”

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tu non ti preparare
lui/lei non si prepari
noi non ci prepariamo
voi non vi prepariate
loro non si preparino

The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non ti preparare.” — “Do not get ready.”

Gerund

Form Italian
Gerund preparandosi

The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Preparandosi, imparo molto.” — “While getting ready, 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 mi sono preparato questa settimana.” — “I have got ready.”

Example sentences

Ten natural sentences with prepararsi, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.

  1. “Io mi preparo ogni giorno.” — “I get ready”
  2. “Tu ti preparasti ieri.” — “You got ready”
  3. “Lui si preparava una volta.” — “He used to get ready”
  4. “Io mi preparerò domani.” — “I will get ready”
  5. “Tu ti prepareresti un giorno.” — “You would get ready”
  6. “Lui si è preparato questa settimana.” — “He has got ready”
  7. “Io mi ero preparato prima della festa.” — “I had got ready”
  8. “Tu ti sarai preparato per domani.” — “You will have got ready”
  9. “È importante che io mi prepari.” — “It is important that I get ready”
  10. “Preparati!” — “Get ready!”

Common mistakes

1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

✗ Wrong: “Io prepararsi.”

✓ Right: “Io mi preparo ogni giorno.”

The infinitive prepararsi never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form mi preparo.

2. Using the wrong person’s form

✗ Wrong: “Io ti prepari.”

✓ Right: “Io mi preparo ogni giorno.”

ti prepari is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with mi preparo.

3. Using the present for a finished past action

✗ Wrong: “Io mi preparo ieri.”

✓ Right: “Io mi sono preparato questa settimana.”

Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo mi sono preparato for a finished action yesterday.

4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo

✗ Wrong: “Io ho preparato.”

✓ Right: “Io mi sono preparato questa settimana.”

The passato prossimo of prepararsi is formed with essere plus the past participle preparato: the io form is mi sono 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 mi preparo.”

✓ Right: “È importante che io mi prepari.”

After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use mi prepari here, not the indicative mi preparo.

6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense

✗ Wrong: “Io sono preparandosi.”

✓ Right: “Io mi sono preparato questa settimana.”

The perfect tenses need the past participle preparato, not the gerund preparandosi. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on prepararsi. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. What is the io form of prepararsi in the Present indicative?

    • A) ti prepari
    • B) mi preparo
    • C) si prepara
    • D) ci prepariamo

  2. What is the lui/lei form of prepararsi in the Passato remoto?

    • A) mi preparai
    • B) ti preparasti
    • C) si preparò
    • D) ci preparammo

  3. What is the noi form of prepararsi in the Imperfect?

    • A) mi preparavo
    • B) ti preparavi
    • C) si preparava
    • D) ci preparavamo

  4. What is the tu form of prepararsi in the Future?

    • A) ti preparerai
    • B) mi preparerò
    • C) si preparerà
    • D) ci prepareremo

  5. What is the io form of prepararsi in the Conditional?

    • A) ti prepareresti
    • B) mi preparerei
    • C) si preparerebbe
    • D) ci prepareremmo

  6. What is the lui/lei form of prepararsi in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?

    • A) mi sono preparato
    • B) ti sei preparato
    • C) si è preparato
    • D) ci siamo preparato

  7. What is the lui/lei form of prepararsi in the Present subjunctive?

    • A) mi prepari
    • B) ti prepari
    • C) ci prepariamo
    • D) si prepari

  8. What is the io form of prepararsi in the Imperfect subjunctive?

    • A) mi preparassi
    • B) ti preparassi
    • C) si preparasse
    • D) ci preparassimo

  9. What is the gerund of prepararsi?

    • A) preparato
    • B) preparandosi
    • C) prepararsi
    • D) mi preparo

  10. What does prepararsi mean in English?

  • A) to explain
  • B) to answer
  • C) to get ready
  • D) to ask

Answer key

  1. B) mi preparo — the correct form is mi preparo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  2. C) si preparò — the correct form is si preparò. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  3. D) ci preparavamo — the correct form is ci preparavamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  4. A) ti preparerai — the correct form is ti preparerai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  5. B) mi preparerei — the correct form is mi preparerei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  6. C) si è preparato — the correct form is si è preparato. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  7. D) si prepari — the correct form is si prepari. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  8. A) mi preparassi — the correct form is mi preparassi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  9. B) preparandosi — the correct form is preparandosi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  10. C) to get ready — the correct form is to get ready. The other options are other forms of the same verb.

Frequently asked questions

What does prepararsi mean in English?

prepararsi means “to get ready”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.

Is prepararsi regular or irregular?

prepararsi is regular: it follows the ordinary -are pattern in every tense. The gerund is preparandosi and the past participle is preparato.

What are the gerund and past participle of prepararsi?

The gerund is preparandosi — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is preparato — use it with essere for the perfect tenses, as in mi sono preparato.

Which auxiliary does prepararsi take in the passato prossimo?

prepararsi takes essere in the passato prossimo: the io form is mi sono preparato. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with essere plus the past participle preparato.

How do I say “I get ready” in Italian?

Say “Io mi preparo ogni giorno.” — “I get ready” The io form of the present is mi preparo, and it is the form you will use most often.

Where does the reflexive pronoun go with prepararsi?

Before the conjugated verb in most tenses — mi preparo for io — and attached to the end of the verb in the affirmative imperative and the gerund. In the passato prossimo the pronoun comes before the auxiliary: mi sono preparato.

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