Introduction
Learning how to express urgency is essential for any Spanish learner navigating real-world conversations. Whether you need to catch a bus, make it to an appointment on time, or simply encourage someone to move faster, knowing how to say hurry up in Spanish will prove invaluable in countless everyday situations across Spanish-speaking countries.
The Most Common Way to Say Hurry Up in Spanish
The most widely used expression for hurry up in Spanish is ¡Apúrate! This versatile command works in most Latin American countries and is understood virtually everywhere Spanish is spoken. The verb apurarse means to hurry or to rush, and when you use the imperative form, you create a direct command telling someone to speed up.
In Spain, however, you will more commonly hear ¡Date prisa! instead. This phrase literally translates to give yourself haste and serves the exact same purpose as apúrate. The regional difference between these two expressions is one of the most noticeable variations between European and Latin American Spanish.
For example:
¡Apúrate o perderemos el tren! – Hurry up or we will miss the train!
¡Date prisa, que llegamos tarde! – Hurry up, we are running late!
Formal and Polite Ways to Express Urgency
When speaking to someone you need to address formally, such as an elderly person, a boss, or someone you have just met, you should use the formal imperative forms. In Latin America, this becomes ¡Apúrese! with the added se indicating the formal you form.
Similarly, in Spain, the formal version is ¡Dese prisa! These forms maintain the sense of urgency while showing proper respect to your listener.
If you want to be even more polite, you can soften the command by adding por favor at the end:
¡Apúrese, por favor! – Please hurry up!
¡Dese prisa, por favor! – Please hurry up!
Another courteous option is to phrase your request as a question: ¿Puede apurarse? or ¿Puede darse prisa? meaning Can you hurry up? This approach works well in professional settings or when you want to avoid sounding too demanding.
Telling a Group to Hurry Up
When addressing multiple people, the command forms change to accommodate the plural. In Latin America, you would say ¡Apúrense! to tell a group to hurry up. Notice the n added to the end, which indicates you are speaking to more than one person.
In Spain, the plural informal command is ¡Daos prisa! This form uses the vosotros conjugation, which is standard in European Spanish but rarely used in Latin America.
For a formal group, Latin Americans would say ¡Apúrense! (the same as the informal plural), while Spaniards would use ¡Dense prisa!
Example in context:
¡Apúrense, chicos! La película empieza en diez minutos. – Hurry up, guys! The movie starts in ten minutes.
Informal and Colloquial Expressions
Spanish speakers love colorful, informal expressions, and there are plenty of casual ways to tell someone to hurry up. One popular option is ¡Ándale! or ¡Órale! commonly heard in Mexico. While these words have multiple meanings depending on context, they frequently serve as enthusiastic ways to say come on or hurry up.
Another informal expression is ¡Apúrate la vida! which literally means hurry up your life but functions as an intensified version of the basic command. You might also hear ¡Corre! which simply means run but implies urgency and speed.
In some regions, particularly in the Caribbean and parts of South America, people say ¡Muévete! meaning move yourself or get moving. This comes from the verb moverse and adds a physical dimension to the urgency.
Among close friends or family, you might encounter even more creative expressions:
¡Dale! – Come on! Go ahead!
¡Vamos! – Let’s go!
¡Rápido! – Quick! Fast!
Regional Variations Worth Knowing
As with many aspects of Spanish, regional differences add flavor and variety to how people express urgency. In Argentina and Uruguay, you will hear ¡Apurate! without the accent, using the vos form instead of tú. The meaning remains identical, but the conjugation reflects the local pronoun preference.
In some parts of Central America, particularly Guatemala and El Salvador, people often use ¡Andá rápido! combining the vos command of andar (to walk or go) with the adverb rápido (fast).
Colombians might say ¡Apúrate pues! adding the distinctive pues that characterizes Colombian speech patterns. This small addition does not change the meaning but gives the phrase a local touch.
Using Hurry Up in Complete Sentences
Understanding isolated commands helps, but seeing these expressions in natural sentences makes them truly useful. Here are several realistic examples showing how Spanish speakers incorporate urgency into everyday communication:
¡Apúrate con el desayuno! Tenemos que salir en cinco minutos.
Hurry up with breakfast! We have to leave in five minutes.
Date prisa en vestirte o llegaremos tarde al aeropuerto.
Hurry up getting dressed or we will be late to the airport.
Apúrese, señor, el banco cierra a las tres.
Hurry up, sir, the bank closes at three.
¡Niños, apúrense! El autobús escolar está esperando.
Kids, hurry up! The school bus is waiting.
¿Puedes apurarte un poco? Necesito usar el baño.
Can you hurry up a bit? I need to use the bathroom.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One frequent error English speakers make is directly translating hurry up word for word, which does not work in Spanish. There is no equivalent to the phrasal verb structure, so you cannot say something like apurar arriba or similar constructions.
Another mistake involves using apúrate in Spain when date prisa would sound more natural. While Spaniards will understand apúrate thanks to Latin American media influence, using date prisa helps you blend in better with local speech patterns.
Be careful with tone and context when using imperative commands. Spanish culture varies widely by region, but in many places, barking orders without por favor or proper relationship context can sound quite rude. Save the bare commands for truly urgent situations or close relationships where informality is welcome.
Related Expressions for Urgency
Beyond telling someone to hurry up, you might want to express that you yourself are in a hurry or running late. Here are useful related phrases:
Tengo prisa – I am in a hurry
Estoy apurado/apurada – I am rushed (Latin America)
Voy tarde – I am running late
Se me hace tarde – I am getting late
No hay tiempo – There is no time
These expressions complement the imperative commands and help you navigate time-sensitive situations from different angles. For instance, if someone asks why you need them to hurry, you can respond with Tengo prisa porque se me hace tarde para mi cita – I am in a hurry because I am getting late for my appointment.
Cultural Context and Usage Tips
Understanding when and how to use these expressions involves more than grammar. Spanish-speaking cultures often have different attitudes toward punctuality and time compared to English-speaking countries. In some regions, being a few minutes late is perfectly acceptable, while in others, punctuality matters greatly.
When traveling or living in Spanish-speaking areas, observe how locals use urgency expressions. In fast-paced cities like Madrid, Barcelona, or Mexico City, you will hear apúrate and date prisa frequently. In more relaxed environments, these commands might sound overly stressed or even comical.
With children, parents and teachers commonly use these expressions in a gentle, encouraging way rather than as harsh commands. Adding terms of endearment like mi amor, cariño, or hijo softens the urgency and maintains warmth in the communication.
Conclusion
Mastering how to express urgency in Spanish opens doors to more natural, confident communication in countless real-life scenarios. Whether you choose apúrate for Latin America or date prisa for Spain, understanding these regional preferences and contextual nuances will help you connect authentically with Spanish speakers while navigating the pace of daily life across the Spanish-speaking world.
