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preferir

to prefer

Spanish Irregular
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The Spanish 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.

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Present Past (completed) Past (ongoing) Future Would (conditional)
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How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Present Tense

Presente de indicativo Actions happening now or regularly
Person English Conjugation
yo I prefiero
tú you (informal) prefieres
él/ella/usted he/she/you (formal) prefiere
nosotros we preferimos
vosotros you all (Spain) preferís
ellos/ustedes they/you all prefieren
Ella prefiere caminar al parque.
She prefers to walk to the park.

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

Pretérito perfecto simple Actions that finished in the past
Person English Conjugation
yo I preferí
tú you (informal) preferiste
él/ella/usted he/she/you (formal) prefirió
nosotros we preferimos
vosotros you all (Spain) preferisteis
ellos/ustedes they/you all prefirieron
Ella prefirió salir muy temprano.
She preferred to leave very early.

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

Pretérito imperfecto Actions that were ongoing in the past
Person English Conjugation
yo I prefería
tú you (informal) preferías
él/ella/usted he/she/you (formal) prefería
nosotros we preferíamos
vosotros you all (Spain) preferíais
ellos/ustedes they/you all preferían
Él prefería caminar al trabajo.
He used to prefer walking to work.

How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Future Tense

Futuro simple Actions that will happen
Person English Conjugation
yo I preferiré
tú you (informal) preferirás
él/ella/usted he/she/you (formal) preferirá
nosotros we preferiremos
vosotros you all (Spain) preferiréis
ellos/ustedes they/you all preferirán
Él preferirá estudiar en casa.
He will prefer to study at home.

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

Condicional simple Hypothetical actions
Person English Conjugation
yo I preferiría
tú you (informal) preferirías
él/ella/usted he/she/you (formal) preferiría
nosotros we preferiríamos
vosotros you all (Spain) preferiríais
ellos/ustedes they/you all preferirían
Él preferiría viajar en tren.
He would prefer to travel by train.
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Frequently Asked Questions About "preferir"

Is "preferir" regular or irregular in Spanish?
"Preferir" is an irregular Spanish verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "preferir" mean in English?
The Spanish verb "preferir" means "to prefer" in English.
How do you conjugate "preferir" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente de indicativo): yo → prefiero, tú → prefieres, él/ella/usted → prefiere, nosotros → preferimos, vosotros → preferís, ellos/ustedes → prefieren.
How many tenses does "preferir" have in Spanish?
"Preferir" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Spanish: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).

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