preferir

to prefer

Portuguese Irregular

The Portuguese verb "preferir" means "to prefer" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "preferir" across all 5 tenses.

How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Present Tense

Presente do indicativo Actions happening now or regularly
Person English Conjugation
eu I prefiro
tu you (informal) preferes
ele/ela/você he/she/you (formal) prefere
nós we preferimos
vós you all (formal) preferis
eles/elas/vocês they/you all preferem
Ele prefere viajar de comboio.
He prefers to travel by train.

How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Past (completed) Tense

Pretérito perfeito simples Actions completed in the past
Person English Conjugation
eu I preferi
tu you (informal) preferiste
ele/ela/você he/she/you (formal) preferiu
nós we preferimos
vós you all (formal) preferistes
eles/elas/vocês they/you all preferiram
Ela preferiu viajar de comboio.
She preferred to travel by train.

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How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Past (ongoing) Tense

Pretérito imperfeito Actions that were ongoing in the past
Person English Conjugation
eu I preferia
tu you (informal) preferias
ele/ela/você he/she/you (formal) preferia
nós we preferíamos
vós you all (formal) preferíeis
eles/elas/vocês they/you all preferiam
Ele preferia caminhar na praia.
He used to prefer walking on the beach.

How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Future Tense

Futuro do presente Actions that will happen
Person English Conjugation
eu I preferirei
tu you (informal) preferirás
ele/ela/você he/she/you (formal) preferirá
nós we preferiremos
vós you all (formal) preferireis
eles/elas/vocês they/you all preferirão
Ele preferirá ficar em casa.
He will prefer to stay home.

How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Would (conditional) Tense

Condicional Hypothetical actions
Person English Conjugation
eu I preferiria
tu you (informal) preferirias
ele/ela/você he/she/you (formal) preferiria
nós we preferiríamos
vós you all (formal) preferiríeis
eles/elas/vocês they/you all prefeririam
Ele preferiria ficar em casa.
He would prefer to stay home.

Frequently Asked Questions About "preferir"

Is "preferir" regular or irregular in Portuguese?
"Preferir" is an irregular Portuguese verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "preferir" mean in English?
The Portuguese verb "preferir" means "to prefer" in English.
How do you conjugate "preferir" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente do indicativo): eu → prefiro, tu → preferes, ele/ela/você → prefere, nós → preferimos, vós → preferis, eles/elas/vocês → preferem.
How many tenses does "preferir" have in Portuguese?
"Preferir" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Portuguese: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).

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