Preparé el adobo ayer.

The accent mark shows that the stress falls on the last syllable: pre-pa-RÉ.

It also helps distinguish this form from other forms of the verb preparar:

• preparé = I prepared / I made
• prepare = a different form, such as the present subjunctive (that I prepare) or a formal command (prepare!)

So the accent is important both for pronunciation and meaning.

Preparé is the preterite tense (pretérito indefinido in Spain).

It is used for a completed action in the past:

• Preparé el adobo ayer. = the action was done and finished yesterday.

This is different from:

• preparaba = I was preparing / I used to prepare
• he preparado = I have prepared

Spanish often leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

• preparé clearly means I prepared

So:

• Preparé el adobo ayer. and
• Yo preparé el adobo ayer.

both mean the same thing.

Adding yo is possible, but it usually adds emphasis or contrast, for example:

• Yo preparé el adobo, no Ana. = I prepared the marinade, not Ana.

Spanish uses articles more often than English does.

Here, el adobo refers to a specific thing: the marinade / the seasoning mixture.

In English, you might sometimes say I prepared marinade yesterday without the, but Spanish often prefers the article in cases like this:

• Preparé el adobo ayer.

Also, adobo is a masculine noun, so it takes el, not la.

Because it is normally used as a masculine noun: el adobo.

A common pattern in Spanish is:

• nouns ending in -o are often masculine
• nouns ending in -a are often feminine

This is not a perfect rule, but it works here:

• el adobo

Yes. That is completely natural.

Spanish word order is more flexible than English. These are both correct:

• Preparé el adobo ayer.
• Ayer preparé el adobo.

The difference is mainly emphasis:

• Ayer preparé el adobo. puts focus on when
• Preparé el adobo ayer. sounds more neutral or ends by adding the time detail

Because ayer means yesterday, which points to a finished time in the past.

That fits very naturally with the preterite:

• Preparé el adobo ayer.

The preterite is commonly used with finished-time expressions such as:

• ayer = yesterday
• anoche = last night
• esta mañana = this morning (depending on context)
• el lunes = on Monday

Yes, but the meaning and regional preference can change slightly.

In Spain, both forms exist:

• Preparé el adobo ayer. = simple completed past action
• He preparado el adobo. = I have prepared the marinade

In many parts of Spain, he preparado is especially common when the time period is still connected to the present, such as:

• hoy
• esta semana

But with ayer, preparé is very natural and standard.

Because the sentence describes a single completed action.

• Preparé el adobo ayer. = I prepared it; the action is finished

The imperfect preparaba would suggest something ongoing, repeated, or backgrounded:

• Preparaba el adobo cuando llamaste. = I was preparing the marinade when you called.
• Antes preparaba el adobo cada domingo. = I used to prepare the marinade every Sunday.

So the preterite is the right choice for a completed event yesterday.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

preh-pah-REH el ah-DOH-boh ah-YEHR

A few helpful points:

• preparé is stressed on the last syllable: -ré
• adobo is stressed on do: a-DO-bo
• ayer usually sounds like a-YER
• In much of Spain, d between vowels can sound softer than in English

So the rhythm is roughly:

pre-pa-RÉ el a-DO-bo a-YER

In Spain, adobo usually refers to a marinade, seasoning mixture, or mixture used to flavor and preserve food.

It often involves ingredients such as:

• garlic
• paprika
• oregano
• oil
• vinegar
• salt

So even if the translation has already been given, it is useful to know that adobo is not just any sauce; it often has the idea of a seasoned mixture used before cooking.

Yes, you might hear that, and it can work.

But there is a slight difference in feel:

• Preparé el adobo = I prepared the marinade
• Hice el adobo = I made the marinade

Both are understandable and natural, but preparé often sounds especially appropriate when talking about getting a mixture or food item ready.

Because el adobo is a direct object that is a thing, not a person.

In Spanish, the personal a is usually used before specific people:

• Vi a María. = I saw María.

But with things, you normally do not use a:

• Preparé el adobo.

So a is not needed here.

It is neutral. It works in both formal and informal situations.

Nothing in the sentence is especially casual or especially formal:

• Preparé el adobo ayer.

It is just a normal past-tense statement.

Yes. Spanish allows several natural placements for time expressions like ayer.

For example:

• Ayer preparé el adobo.
• Preparé ayer el adobo.
• Preparé el adobo ayer.

All are grammatical, but the most natural choices are usually:

• Ayer preparé el adobo.
• Preparé el adobo ayer.

The middle position, Preparé ayer el adobo, is possible but often feels a bit more marked depending on context.