Portuguese Phrase
Prepara os legumes com antecedência.
Meaning
The sentence tells someone to get the vegetables ready before you start cooking. It emphasizes planning ahead, a habit that saves time and reduces stress in the kitchen.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re discussing meal‑prep, giving cooking instructions, or reminding a friend to have the veggies ready before a dinner party or a busy week of meals.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Preparaoslegumescomantecedência.
Imperative (tu)
‘Prepara’ is the informal second‑person singular imperative of ‘preparar’, used to give a direct command to someone you address as ‘tu’.
Definite article (os)
‘os’ is the masculine plural definite article, matching the plural noun ‘legumes’.
Noun plural (legumes)
‘legumes’ means ‘vegetables’ (or sometimes ‘beans’) and is a regular masculine plural noun.
Prepositional phrase (com antecedência)
‘com’ + noun ‘antecedência’ forms a phrase meaning ‘in advance’; note that ‘antecedência’ is a noun, not an adverb.
🗨In Conversation
Você já cortou os legumes?
Have you already cut the vegetables?
Ainda não, mas vou preparar os legumes com antecedência.
Not yet, but I’ll prepare the vegetables in advance.
✕Common Mistakes
Prepara os legumes com antecedente.
‘Antecedente’ is an adjective meaning ‘previous’; the correct noun for ‘in advance’ is ‘antecedência’.
Prepara os legumes com antecedência, senhor.
When speaking formally (you = ‘você’), the imperative is ‘prepare’, not ‘prepara’. Using ‘prepara’ can sound too informal or even rude.
↔Alternatives
Prepare os vegetais com antecedência.
Prepare the vegetables in advance.
Corte os legumes antes de cozinhar.
Cut the vegetables before cooking.
Deixe os legumes prontos com antecedência.
Leave the vegetables ready ahead of time.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘legumes’ can refer to a wide range of fresh vegetables—carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, etc.—and sometimes even to beans, depending on the region. Preparing them ahead of time is a common strategy for busy families and for the famous ‘feijoada’ weekend gatherings. When speaking formally (to strangers or elders), use the formal imperative ‘prepare’ instead of ‘prepara’.