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Table of Contents
- Learn Faster with Audio
- Introduction to Preferir
- Indicative tenses of Preferir
- Preferir in the Indicative Present
- Preferir in the Indicative Preterite
- Preferir in the Indicative Imperfect
- Preferir in the Indicative Present Continuous
- Preferir in the Indicative Near Future
- Preferir in the Indicative Future
- Preferir in the Indicative Conditional
- Preferir in the Indicative Present Perfect
- Preferir in the Indicative Past Perfect
- Preferir in the Indicative Future Perfect
- Preferir in the Indicative Conditional Perfect
- Subjunctive tenses of Preferir
- Imperative tenses of Preferir
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Introduction to Preferir
“Preferir” is a Spanish verb meaning “to prefer.” It’s used to express preferences and choices in various contexts, from describing personal tastes to making decisions between options.
| Infinitive | Past Participle | Gerund |
|---|---|---|
| preferir | preferido | prefiriendo |
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Example Sentences:
- Past Participle
Siempre he preferido el café al té. I have always preferred coffee to tea. - Gerund
Estoy prefiriendo quedarme en casa últimamente. I am preferring to stay at home lately.
Indicative tenses of Preferir
The indicative mood in Spanish is all about reality. When you use an indicative tense, you’re stating a fact, making an observation, or describing an event you believe to be true. This mood has a wide range of tenses that allow you to express yourself across different time frames, from the past to the present and into the future.
Preferir in the Indicative Present
The present indicative tense of preferir (to prefer) is used to talk about actions happening now, habits, routines, and general truths.
For example: Prefiero trabajar por la mañana. (I prefer to work in the morning.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | prefiero |
| Tú | prefieres |
| Él / Ella / Usted | prefiere |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | preferimos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | preferís |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | prefieren |
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The Indicative Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.
Preferir in the Indicative Preterite
The preterite tense of preferir is used to talk about completed actions in the past. Think of it as the tense for actions that have a clear beginning and end.
For example: Preferí quedarme en casa. (I preferred to stay at home.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | preferí |
| Tú | preferiste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | prefirió |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | preferimos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | preferisteis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | prefirieron |
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The Indicative Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Preterite Simple, Preterite Tense, or Past Definite in English, and as Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Simple, or Tiempo Pasado in Spanish.
Preferir in the Indicative Imperfect
The imperfect tense of preferir takes us back to the past, but with a different perspective than the preterite. It describes actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past, with no specific end point.
For example, Prefería comer temprano cuando era niño. (I used to prefer eating early when I was a child.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | prefería |
| Tú | preferías |
| Él / Ella / Usted | prefería |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | preferíamos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | preferíais |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | preferían |
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The Indicative Imperfect tense is also known as the Imperfect Tense, Past Imperfect, or Imperfective Past in English, and as Pretérito Imperfecto, Imperfecto de Indicativo, or Tiempo Imperfecto in Spanish.
Preferir in the Indicative Present Continuous
The present continuous tense of preferir describes an action that is in progress right now. It emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.
For example: Estoy prefiriendo estudiar en casa últimamente. (I am preferring to study at home lately.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | estoy prefiriendo |
| Tú | estás prefiriendo |
| Él / Ella / Usted | está prefiriendo |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | estamos prefiriendo |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | estáis prefiriendo |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | están prefiriendo |
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The Indicative Present Continuous tense is also known as the Present Progressive, Continuous Present, or Progressive Present in English, and as Presente Continuo, Presente Progresivo, or Progresivo de Indicativo in Spanish.
Preferir in the Indicative Near Future
The near future tense of preferir expresses actions that will happen in the very near future. It often emphasizes the speaker’s intention or certainty.
For example: Voy a preferir el tren al autobús para este viaje. (I am going to prefer the train over the bus for this trip.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | voy a preferir |
| Tú | vas a preferir |
| Él / Ella / Usted | va a preferir |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | vamos a preferir |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | vais a preferir |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | van a preferir |
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The Indicative Near Future tense is also known as the Immediate Future, Simple Future (colloquial use), or Informal Future in English, and as Futuro Próximo, Futuro Cercano, or Ir a + Infinitivo in Spanish.
Preferir in the Indicative Future
The future tense of preferir expresses actions that will occur in the future. It’s a more formal way to talk about future plans or predictions.
For example: Preferiré quedarme en casa mañana. (I will prefer to stay home tomorrow.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | preferiré |
| Tú | preferirás |
| Él / Ella / Usted | preferirá |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | preferiremos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | preferiréis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | preferirán |
Click play to learn these conjugations faster and more easily.
The Indicative Future tense is also known as the Simple Future, Future Simple, or Future Tense in English, and as Futuro Simple, Futuro de Indicativo, or Tiempo Futuro in Spanish.
Preferir in the Indicative Conditional
The conditional tense of preferir is used to talk about hypothetical situations or actions that would happen under certain conditions. It often translates to “would prefer” in English.
For example: Preferiría ir al cine, pero no tengo dinero. (I would prefer to go to the movies, but I don’t have money.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | preferiría |
| Tú | preferirías |
| Él / Ella / Usted | preferiría |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | preferiríamos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | preferiríais |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | preferirían |
Click play to learn these conjugations faster and more easily.
The Indicative Conditional tense is also known as the Conditional Tense, Present Conditional, or Simple Conditional in English, and as Condicional Simple, Condicional de Indicativo, or Tiempo Condicional in Spanish.
Preferir in the Indicative Present Perfect
The present perfect tense of preferir is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue to the present, or have a result that is relevant to the present.
For example: He preferido estudiar en casa este semestre. (I have preferred to study at home this semester.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | he preferido |
| Tú | has preferido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | ha preferido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hemos preferido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habéis preferido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | han preferido |
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The Indicative Present Perfect tense is also known as the Present Perfect, Perfect Present, or Compound Past in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto, Perfecto de Indicativo, or Presente Perfecto in Spanish.
Preferir in the Indicative Past Perfect
The past perfect tense of preferir is used to describe an action that happened before another action in the past.
For example: Había preferido el café al té hasta que probé esta bebida. (I had preferred coffee over tea until I tried this drink.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | había preferido |
| Tú | habías preferido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | había preferido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | habíamos preferido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habíais preferido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habían preferido |
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The Indicative Past Perfect tense is also known as the Pluperfect, Past Perfect, or Compound Past Perfect in English, and as Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto, Pluscuamperfecto de Indicativo, or Pasado Perfecto in Spanish.
Preferir in the Indicative Future Perfect
The future perfect tense of preferir describes an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future.
For example: Habré preferido vivir en la ciudad para cuando termine mis estudios. (I will have preferred living in the city by the time I finish my studies.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | habré preferido |
| Tú | habrás preferido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | habrá preferido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | habremos preferido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habréis preferido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habrán preferido |
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The Indicative Future Perfect tense is also known as the Future Perfect or Compound Future in English, and as Futuro Perfecto, Perfecto de Futuro, or Futuro Compuesto in Spanish.
Preferir in the Indicative Conditional Perfect
The conditional perfect of preferir is used to talk about hypothetical situations in the past, something that would have happened if a different condition had been met. It often translates to “would have preferred” in English.
For example: Habría preferido ir al concierto, pero estaba enfermo. (I would have preferred to go to the concert, but I was sick.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | habría preferido |
| Tú | habrías preferido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | habría preferido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | habríamos preferido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habríais preferido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habrían preferido |
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The Indicative Conditional Perfect tense is also known as the Perfect Conditional or Compound Conditional in English, and as Condicional Perfecto, Perfecto de Condicional, or Condicional Compuesto in Spanish.
Subjunctive tenses of Preferir
The subjunctive mood in Spanish might seem a bit mysterious at first, but it’s all about expressing subjectivity. Instead of stating cold, hard facts, you use the subjunctive to talk about desires, doubts, emotions, and possibilities. Think of it as the mood of uncertainty, where things are wished for, doubted, or influenced by opinions and feelings.
Preferir in the Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive of preferir is used to express wishes, doubts, emotions, and possibilities in the present or future. It often follows verbs or phrases that indicate subjectivity or uncertainty.
For example: Espero que prefieras la nueva casa. (I hope you prefer the new house.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | prefiera |
| Tú | prefieras |
| Él / Ella / Usted | prefiera |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | prefiramos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | prefiráis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | prefieran |
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The Subjunctive Present tense is also known as the Present Subjunctive or Simple Present Subjunctive in English, and as Presente de Subjuntivo or Subjuntivo Presente in Spanish.
Preferir in the Imperfect Subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive of preferir is used to express wishes, doubts, emotions, and possibilities in the past, or in hypothetical situations. It often follows verbs or phrases that indicate subjectivity or uncertainty in the past tense.
For example: Dudaba que prefiriera el café al té. (I doubted that he/she would prefer coffee over tea.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | prefiriera |
| Tú | prefirieras |
| Él / Ella / Usted | prefiriera |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | prefiriéramos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | prefirierais |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | prefirieran |
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The Subjunctive Imperfect tense is also known as the Imperfect Subjunctive or Past Subjunctive in English, and as Pretérito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo, Imperfecto de Subjuntivo, or Subjuntivo Pasado in Spanish.
Preferir in the Future Subjunctive
The future subjunctive is rarely used in modern Spanish, but it’s good to be aware of it! It expresses a hypothetical action in the future with a high degree of uncertainty.
For example: Si prefiriere quedarse en casa, lo entenderemos. (If he/she should prefer to stay home, we will understand.)
You’ll likely encounter this tense more in literature or legal texts than in everyday conversation.
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | prefiriere |
| Tú | prefirieres |
| Él / Ella / Usted | prefiriere |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | prefiriéremos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | prefiriereis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | prefirieren |
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The Subjunctive Future tense is also known as the Future Subjunctive or Simple Future Subjunctive in English, and as Futuro de Subjuntivo or Subjuntivo Futuro in Spanish.
Preferir in the Present Perfect Subjunctive
The present perfect subjunctive of preferir is used to express actions that are completed in relation to the present or future, but with some element of subjectivity or uncertainty.
For example: Me alegra que hayas preferido venir con nosotros. (I’m glad that you have preferred to come with us.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | haya preferido |
| Tú | hayas preferido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | haya preferido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hayamos preferido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | hayáis preferido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hayan preferido |
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The Subjunctive Present Perfect tense is also known as the Perfect Subjunctive or Present Perfect Subjunctive in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo or Perfecto de Subjuntivo in Spanish.
Preferir in the Past Perfect Subjunctive
The past perfect subjunctive of preferir is used to express actions that were completed before another action in the past, but with some element of subjectivity or uncertainty.
For example: Dudaba que hubiera preferido esa opción. (I doubted that he/she had preferred that option.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | hubiera preferido |
| Tú | hubieras preferido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | hubiera preferido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hubiéramos preferido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | hubierais preferido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hubieran preferido |
Click play to learn these conjugations faster and more easily.
The Subjunctive Past Perfect tense is also known as the Pluperfect Subjunctive, Past Perfect Subjunctive, or Compound Past Subjunctive in English, and as Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo or Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo in Spanish.
Preferir in the Future Perfect Subjunctive
Like the future subjunctive, the future perfect subjunctive is very rare in modern Spanish. It expresses a hypothetical action that will have been completed before a certain point in the future.
For example: Cuando hubiere preferido una opción, te lo diré. (When I have preferred an option, I will tell you.)
It’s more likely to be found in legal documents or older literature than in everyday speech. Most speakers would use other tenses to express this idea.
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | hubiere preferido |
| Tú | hubieres preferido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | hubiere preferido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hubiéremos preferido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | hubiereis preferido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hubieren preferido |
Click play to learn these conjugations faster and more easily.
The Subjunctive Future Perfect tense is also known as the Future Perfect Subjunctive or Compound Future Subjunctive in English, and as Futuro Perfecto de Subjuntivo or Perfecto de Futuro de Subjuntivo in Spanish.
Imperative tenses of Preferir
The imperative mood in Spanish is all about getting things done! It’s the mood of commands, requests, and instructions. When you use the imperative, you’re telling someone to do something, offering advice, or even expressing a strong wish. Want to tell someone to eat their vegetables, study harder, or be careful? The imperative is your go-to mood.
Preferir in the Imperative Affirmative
The affirmative imperative of preferir is used to give commands or instructions to prefer something.
For example: ¡Prefiere la salud! (Prefer health!)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | — |
| Tú | prefiere |
| Él / Ella / Usted | prefiera |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | prefiramos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | preferid |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | prefieran |
Click play to learn these conjugations faster and more easily.
The Imperative Affirmative tense is also known as the Positive Imperative or Affirmative Command in English, and as Imperativo Afirmativo or Mandato Afirmativo in Spanish.
Preferir in the Imperative Negative
The negative imperative of preferir is used to give commands or instructions not to prefer something.
For example: ¡No prefieras la comida rápida! (Don’t prefer fast food!)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | — |
| Tú | no prefieras |
| Él / Ella / Usted | no prefiera |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | no prefiramos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | no prefiráis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | no prefieran |
Click play to learn these conjugations faster and more easily.
The Imperative Negative tense is also known as the Negative Imperative or Negative Command in English, and as Imperativo Negativo or Mandato Negativo in Spanish.