apúrate, por favor
In Spanish, "hurry up, please" is translated as apúrate, por favor.
This phrase is a polite request for someone to move or act more quickly.
What does it mean word for word?
The command apúrate comes from the reflexive verb apurarse, so it literally translates to "hurry yourself up".
Which one should you use?
While apúrate, por favor is a polite request, using the exclamation ¡Date prisa! without adding "por favor" conveys a sense of urgency or impatience.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, it is more common to use the phrase date prisa, por favor rather than the reflexive apúrate.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are speaking to someone in a formal context or to a stranger, use the form apúrese, por favor instead of apúrate, por favor.
Did you know?
- While apúrate asks someone to move faster, the root verb apurar can also mean to finish off the last bit of food or drink in a glass.
- In some Latin American cultures, saying apúrate to a service worker may be seen as rude even with por favor, as there is a cultural preference for indirect requests.
- In Spanish, the concept of 'hurrying' is often expressed through the body, such as with the phrase dar prisa, which literally means to 'give haste'.
Examples in context
- Por favor, apúrese con los informes, tenemos una reunión en 10 minutos.Please, hurry up with the reports, we have a meeting in 10 minutes.
- Apúrate, por favor, que perdemos el tren.Hurry up, please, we are going to miss the train.
- Apúrate, por favor, la cena está lista.Hurry up, please, dinner is ready.
- Apúrate, por favor, la película va a empezar.Hurry up, please, the movie is about to start.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are getting ready to leave the house.
- MateoElena, apúrate, por favor, ya nos vamos.Elena, hurry up, please, we are leaving now.
- ElenaYa voy, Mateo, solo busco mis llaves.I'm coming, Mateo, I'm just looking for my keys.
- MateoDate prisa, que llegaremos tarde.Be quick, we are going to be late.
- Elena¡Listo! Ya estoy lista para salir.Ready! I am ready to go now.
