Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Hurry Up in Spanish: Apúrate & Date Prisa
Apúrate · verb phrase (imperative) · ah-POO-rah-teh
Hurry up is apúrate (Latin America) or date prisa (Spain). Both are informal tú commands. Formal: apúrese / dese prisa. Other options: ándale (Mexico), muévete (move it).
ah-POO-rah-teh (apúrate) · DAH-teh PREE-sah (date prisa)
¡Apúrate, que vamos a llegar tarde!
Hurry up, we are going to be late!
Hurry Up in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for hurry up, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| apúrate | hurry up | ah-POO-rah-teh | Default, widely understood |
| date prisa | hurry up | Spain | |
| apresúrate | hurry up | formal alternative |
How Native Speakers Use Apúrate
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Latin America
¡Apúrate! El autobús sale en cinco minutos.
Hurry up! The bus leaves in five minutes.
Apúrate is the most common form across Latin America.
Spain
¡Date prisa, que cerramos en diez minutos!
Hurry up, we close in ten minutes!
Date prisa (give yourself haste) is standard in Spain.
Formal command
Apúrese, señor, el vuelo está por salir.
Hurry up, sir, the flight is about to leave.
Apúrese is the usted (formal) imperative.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Apúrate
Mixing regions: apúrate in Spain
Incorrect: ¡Apúrate! (in Madrid)
Correct: ¡Date prisa!
While understood, apúrate marks you as Latin American in Spain. Use date prisa locally.
Using hurry directly
Incorrect: ¡Hurry, hurry!
Correct: ¡Rápido, rápido! / ¡Apúrate!
Hurry has no cognate in Spanish. Use apúrate, date prisa, or rápido.
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Why word lists alone don't stick
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Common Questions About Hurry Up in Spanish
- How do you say hurry up in Spanish?
- Latin America: apúrate. Spain: date prisa. Formal: apúrese or dese prisa.
- What does ándale mean?
- Mexican expression meaning hurry up, come on, or that is right, depending on tone and context.
- How do you say I am in a hurry?
- Tengo prisa (Spain) or estoy apurado/apurada (Latin America).