How to Say "would rather" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “would rather” is “preferir” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Yo prefiero el té verde.
I prefer green tea.
Ellos prefieren ir a la playa en lugar de ir a la montaña.
They prefer to go to the beach instead of going to the mountains.
Mi jefe prefirió que termináramos el informe hoy mismo.
My boss preferred that we finish the report today.
The e to ie Vowel Swap
In the present tense, the 'e' in the middle of the word changes to 'ie' for everyone except 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'. Think of it as the word growing an extra letter when it's stressed!
Comparing Two Things
When you say you prefer one thing over another, Spanish uses 'a' where English uses 'to' or 'over'. For example: 'Prefiero el azul a (to) el rojo'.
Double Subject Rule
If you prefer someone else to do something, use 'que' followed by a special verb form (the subjunctive). If you are talking about yourself, just use the basic verb (the infinitive).
Don't say 'than'
Mistake: “Prefiero pizza que pasta.”
Correction: Prefiero pizza a la pasta. (Use 'a' when comparing with 'preferir'.)
Stem change in the past
Mistake: “Él preferió la carne.”
Correction: Él prefirió la carne. (In the past 'he/she' and 'they' forms, the 'e' changes to 'i'.)
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.