French Phrase
Prépare les ingrédients à l'avance.
Meaning
The sentence is a direct instruction meaning ‘Prepare the ingredients in advance.’ It uses the informal imperative, so it’s suitable when speaking to a friend, a kitchen assistant, or a student in a cooking class. The adverbial phrase ‘à l'avance’ stresses that the preparation should happen before the cooking actually starts.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are giving a cooking instruction, writing a recipe, or reminding someone to do the prep work before a meal. It’s common in home kitchens, culinary schools, and professional restaurants where ‘mise en place’ (everything in its place) is essential.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Préparelesingrédientsàl'avance.
Imperative (2nd person singular)
‘Prépare’ is the imperative form of ‘préparer’ used when giving a direct command to ‘tu’ (you, informal).
Definite article ‘les’
‘les’ is the plural definite article that matches the plural noun ‘ingrédients’.
Noun ‘ingrédients’
A masculine plural noun meaning ‘ingredients’; it follows the article ‘les’.
Prepositional phrase ‘à l'avance’
Literally ‘to the advance’, it means ‘in advance’ or ‘ahead of time’ and usually follows the verb.
🗨In Conversation
Prépare les ingrédients à l'avance.
Prepare the ingredients in advance.
D'accord, je les couperai et les mettrai au frais.
Okay, I’ll chop them and put them in the fridge.
✕Common Mistakes
Préparer les ingrédients à l'avance.
Using the infinitive ‘préparer’ turns the sentence into a statement, not a command.
Préparez les ingrédients à l'avance.
‘Préparez’ is the formal/plural imperative; it’s correct in a formal context but can sound too stiff in a casual kitchen setting.
Prépare à l'avance les ingrédients.
The adverbial phrase should follow the verb; placing it before the noun sounds unnatural.
↔Alternatives
Mets les ingrédients de côté avant de commencer.
Set the ingredients aside before you start.
Prépare les éléments à l'avance.
Prepare the items ahead of time.
Fais la préparation des ingrédients à l'avance.
Do the ingredient preparation in advance.
Cultural Tip
In French cuisine, ‘mise en place’ is a cornerstone of the cooking process. Chefs and home cooks alike are expected to have all ingredients measured, cleaned, and ready before the heat hits the pan. Saying ‘Prépare les ingrédients à l'avance’ signals professionalism and respect for the rhythm of the kitchen. In casual conversation you might hear the shorter ‘Prépare tout avant.’