preparar
transitive verb
1 (dejar listo) [+comida] to make; prepare [+habitación, casa] to prepare; get ready; [+compuesto, derivado] (Química) to prepare; make up
estoy preparando la cena I'm making o preparing dinner; I'm getting dinner ready; ¿te preparo un café? shall I make you a coffee?
¿me puedes preparar la cuenta, por favor? can you make my bill up, please?
2 (organizar) [+acción, viaje] to prepare [+ejemplar, revista] to prepare; work on
tardaron semanas en preparar el atraco it took them weeks to set up o prepare the robbery; tengo una sorpresa preparada para ti I've got a surprise for you
estamos preparando el siguiente número de la revista we're working on o preparing the next issue of the magazine
3 (instruir) (para un partido) to train; coach; (para examen, oposición) to coach; tutor
lleva meses preparando al equipo he has been training o coaching the team for months; la están preparando en una academia they are preparing o coaching her in a private school; she is being tutored in a private school
preparar a algn en algo to coach sb in sth; busco a alguien que me prepare en inglés I'm looking for someone to coach me in English
pronominal verb
prepararse1 (disponerse) to get ready
venga, prepárate, que nos vamos come on, get ready, we're going; prepararse a hacer algo to get ready to do sth; se preparaba a salir de casa cuando sonó el teléfono he was just about o getting ready to leave the house when the telephone rang
prepárate a oír esto get ready for this; prepararse para to get ready for; prepare for; nos estamos preparando para las vacaciones we are getting ready o preparing for the holidays
2 (estudiar) [+discurso] to prepare; [+examen] to prepare for; study for
lleva todo el día preparándose el discurso she has been preparing her speech all day; no me había preparado bien el examen I hadn't done enough preparation for the exam; I hadn't prepared o studied properly for the exam