How to Say "prefers" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “prefers” is “prefiere” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Ella prefiere el café con leche.
She prefers coffee with milk.
¿Usted prefiere pagar en efectivo o con tarjeta?
Do you (formal) prefer to pay in cash or by card?
Mi hermano prefiere quedarse en casa que salir de fiesta.
My brother prefers staying home over going out to a party.
The 'Boot' Verb Change
The verb 'preferir' changes its stem vowel 'e' to 'ie' in the present tense, except for the 'nosotros' (we) and 'vosotros' (you plural informal) forms. This pattern is often called a 'boot' or 'shoe' verb because the change happens inside the shape of a boot on the conjugation chart.
Comparing Preferences
To say someone prefers one thing over another, you can simply use 'que' (than) or sometimes 'a' (to). Example: 'Preferencia ir al cine que quedarse en casa.'
Forgetting the Stem Change
Mistake: “Ella *prefera* ir sola.”
Correction: Ella *prefiere* ir sola. (Remember to change the 'e' to 'ie' in the third person singular.)
Related Translations
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