Preparándola

Preparándola is a Spanish verb phrase formed by the gerund of preparar, preparado with a feminine direct object pronoun la. It literally means “preparing it,” with the la indicating a feminine singular object. The gerund form is preparan-do, and when a direct object pronoun is attached, the result is preparándola, with an accent added to preserve the word’s natural stress.

The phrase is used in periphrastic constructions with auxiliary verbs such as estar, and can express ongoing or progressive action. For example, estoy preparándola means “I am preparing it,” while estaba preparándola means “I was preparing it.” Both la attached to the gerund form and the pronoun placed before the auxiliary (la estoy preparando) are acceptable, with regional and stylistic preferences guiding choice.

Because la refers to a feminine singular noun, preparándola must agree in gender and number with that noun. If the object were masculine or plural, the corresponding forms would be preparándolo, preparándolos, or preparándolas, with the same pronoun attachment rules. This construction is common in spoken and written Spanish and can appear in contexts such as cooking, event planning, presentations, or any situation involving provisional or ongoing preparation of a feminine object.

Examples:

- Estoy preparándola para la cena. (I am preparing it for dinner.)

- La estoy preparando para la entrega. (I am preparing it for the delivery.)

- Estaba preparándola cuando llegaste. (I was preparing it when you arrived.)

In sum, preparándola is a versatile, neutral form used to indicate an ongoing preparation of a feminine object, with flexible pronoun placement and common in everyday Español.