préparer

\pʁe.pa.ʁe\

/\pʁe.pa.ʁe\/ verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“préparer” has 13 generated spelling variants in the French index at frequency #1,715. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#1,715
frequency rank, French
248,534
“P” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Apprêter, disposer mettre une chose dans l’état convenable à l’usage auquel on la destine.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

préparer vs préparez
88% similar
préparer vs préparés
75% similar
préparer vs propager
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for préparer
PropertyValue
Headwordpréparer
LanguageFrench
Part of speechVerb
IPA\pʁe.pa.ʁe\
Letters8
Frequency rank#1,715
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “préparer” sits in French frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). préparer lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around préparer (IPA \pʁe.pa.ʁe\), averb. Corpus frequency is #1,715 among 248,534 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for préparer, with forms such as "ppréparer", "preparer", and "prpéarer". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 9 confusable-pair relationships, "préparez", "préparés", "propager", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct French form is préparer, spelled P-R-É-P-A-R-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Apprêter, disposer mettre une chose dans l’état convenable à l’usage auquel on la destine.
  2. 2
    Soumettre un malade à un certain régime en vue d’une opération chirurgicale ou d’un traitement.
  3. 3
    Installer, mettre en place, les causes qui produiront des effets ultérieurs.
  4. 4
    Méditer, disposer dans sa mémoire après réflexion.
  5. 5
    Faire précéder une chose de quelques précautions pour en assurer l’effet.
  6. 6
    Mettre dans une disposition propre à atteindre un but qu’on se propose, en parlant de personnes.
  7. 7
    Parler à quelqu’un avec ménagement pour le disposer à apprendre une nouvelle pénible.

This word in other languages

prepare(English)preparar(Español)bereiten(Deutsch)aparelhar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ppréparer
  • preparer
  • prpéarer
  • prréparer
  • préaprer
  • prépaerr
  • préparerr
  • préparre
  • préparrer
  • prépparer
  • prépraer
  • pérparer
  • rpéparer

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of préparer - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ppréparer1preparer1prpéarer2prréparer1préaprer2prépaerr2préparerr1préparre2
Edit distance from "préparer"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 French corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "préparer"?
"préparer" is spelled P-R-É-P-A-R-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is \pʁe.pa.ʁe\.
What does "préparer" mean?
As a verb, "préparer" means: Apprêter, disposer mettre une chose dans l’état convenable à l’usage auquel on la destine.
What words are commonly confused with "préparer"?
"préparer" is commonly confused with "préparez", "préparés", "propager". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "préparer"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "préparer" is \pʁe.pa.ʁe\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "préparer" come from?
"préparer" is a French word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “préparer”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct French spelling is P-R-É-P-A-R-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \pʁe.pa.ʁe\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “préparez” - see the side-by-side comparison. préparer vs préparez
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list