Darse prisa vs. apurarse vs. apresurarse

Word practice demo
The Spanish words 'darse prisa', 'apurarse', and 'apresurarse' all mean 'to hurry up' or 'to begin acting more quickly', but can be used in different contexts. While their literal translation is the same, their usage can vary depending on the region, sentence structure and level of formality.

Darse prisa

'Darse prisa' is an expression commonly used throughout the Spanish-speaking world. The literal translation is 'to give oneself haste'.
Si queremos llegar a tiempo al cine, tenemos que darnos prisa.
(If we want to get to the movies on time, we have to hurry.)
Date prisa, el avión sale en una hora.
(Hurry up, the plane leaves in an hour.)
Se da prisa para terminar su trabajo.
(He hurries to finish his work.)

Apurarse

'Apurarse' is similar in meaning to 'darse prisa', but it's often used in regions like Mexico and Argentina. It's a bit less formal.
Apúrate, no quiero llegar tarde a la fiesta.
(Hurry up, I don't want to be late for the party.)
Nos estamos apurando para terminar el proyecto.
(We are hurrying to finish the project.)
Apúrate, o perderás el autobús.
(Hurry up, or you'll miss the bus.)

Apresurarse

'Apresurarse' is more often used in more formal conversations or writing. This verb also usually implies a certain degree of urgency.
Se apresuró a retirar su mano cuando sintió el calor del horno.
(He hurried to withdraw his hand when he felt the heat of the oven.)
Los estudiantes se apresuran para entregar sus trabajos antes de la fecha límite.
(The students hurry to submit their assignments before the deadline.)
Apresúrate a llegar a la estación de trenes.
(Hurry up to get to the train station.)

Summary

In summary, while 'darse prisa', 'apurarse', and 'apresurarse' can all be translated as 'to hurry' or 'to hurry up', they are used differently based on formality and regional preference. 'Darse prisa' is broadly used and recognized while 'apurarse' is more frequent in Latin America with a more informal tone. On the other hand, 'apresurarse' is relatively more formal and often implies greater urgency.