Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Preparo huevos con un poco de aceite para el desayuno. - I prepare eggs with a bit of oil for breakfast.

Spanish often uses the simple present for habits or routines. Preparo huevos… suggests a habitual action (something you regularly do for breakfast). If you mean you are in the middle of doing it right now, use the progressive: Estoy preparando huevos…. You can also say Suelo preparar huevos… to mean “I usually prepare eggs.”

Could I use hacer or cocinar instead of preparar?

Yes, with nuances:

Hacer is very common and informal in Spain for quick dishes: Me hago unos huevos…
Preparar is neutral and widely used.
Cocinar focuses on the act/skill of cooking; fine but slightly more formal or general: Cocino huevos…

Why is there no article before huevos?

Spanish often omits an article with an indefinite plural when speaking generally. Preparo huevos ≈ “I make eggs” (some eggs, in general).

Preparo unos huevos adds a sense of a specific/small number, often “a couple of eggs right now.”
Preparo los huevos refers to specific eggs already known in the context.

What’s the difference between con un poco de aceite and con poco aceite?

Con un poco de aceite = with a little (some) oil. Neutral/positive.
Con poco aceite = with not much oil. It highlights scarcity or insufficiency. Colloquial variants: con un poquito de aceite, con algo de aceite.

Why is there de after un poco?

With quantities, Spanish uses de before the noun: un poco de aceite, un vaso de agua. Without de, un poco acts adverbially and modifies verbs/adjectives: Trabajo un poco, Estoy un poco cansado.

Could I say en aceite instead of con aceite?

Both can appear, but they differ slightly:

Freír en aceite (in oil) focuses on the medium used for frying.
Cocinar/Preparar con aceite (with oil) treats oil as an ingredient. With this sentence, con un poco de aceite is natural. If you specifically mean frying, you could say: Frío los huevos en un poco de aceite.

In Spain, does aceite usually mean olive oil?

Yes. In Spain, aceite often defaults to olive oil unless specified. If it’s another kind, people tend to clarify: aceite de girasol (sunflower), aceite de semillas, etc. You can also specify aceite de oliva if you want to be explicit.

Why is it para el desayuno and not para desayuno?

Meal names typically take the definite article in generalized time expressions: para el desayuno, en la cena. Para desayuno is mostly seen in menus/labels; in everyday speech it sounds odd. Another very natural option is para desayunar.

What’s the difference between para el desayuno and en el desayuno?

Para el desayuno = for the purpose of breakfast (what you’ll have then).
En el desayuno = at/for the occasion of breakfast (what you typically consume during that time). Both can work, but para el desayuno matches the idea of preparing something to be eaten then.

Can I say para desayunar instead?

Yes. Para desayunar is very idiomatic and often more natural: Preparo huevos con un poco de aceite para desayunar. It uses the infinitive to express purpose (“to have for breakfast”).

Why not use por instead of para?

Because para expresses purpose. Para el desayuno = “for (the purpose of) breakfast.” Por el desayuno would mean “because of breakfast / on account of breakfast,” which is not what you want here.

Should I add me if the eggs are for me, like Me preparo huevos?

You can, and it’s very common in Spain. Me preparo huevos or Me hago unos huevos uses a so-called “dative of interest,” highlighting that it’s for yourself. Without me, context usually makes it clear anyway. Don’t say preparo me; the pronoun goes before the verb.

How would I replace huevos with a pronoun?

Use los (masculine plural direct object):

¿Huevos? Sí, los preparo con un poco de aceite. With an infinitive/gerund, you can attach it: Voy a prepararlos, Estoy preparándolos (or before the verb: Los voy a preparar, Los estoy preparando).

Is huevos ever rude?

In slang, huevos can mean “testicles” and appears in crude or emphatic expressions. In cooking contexts like this sentence, it’s perfectly normal and not rude. Avoid slangy idioms with huevos in formal settings.

Can I change the word order?

Keep huevos close to the verb for the most natural flow:

Neutral: Preparo huevos con un poco de aceite para el desayuno.
Emphasis by fronting: Para el desayuno, preparo huevos con un poco de aceite. / Con un poco de aceite, preparo huevos… Placing huevos at the end (Preparo con un poco de aceite huevos…) is grammatical but sounds awkward.

How do I say “I usually prepare eggs” or “I tend to prepare eggs”?

Suelo preparar huevos con un poco de aceite para el desayuno.
Normalmente preparo huevos…

How do I specify the style (fried, scrambled, omelette)?

Common options in Spain:

Huevos fritos (fried eggs)
Huevos revueltos (scrambled eggs)
Tortilla francesa (plain omelette) Examples: Para el desayuno preparo huevos revueltos… / Frío los huevos en un poco de aceite.

Any agreement or gender pitfalls in this sentence?

huevos: masculine plural
aceite: masculine singular
desayuno: masculine singular
un matches masculine (un poco de aceite)
preparo is 1st person singular present Note that un poco de doesn’t change with the noun’s gender: un poco de agua, un poco de sal.