Preferir Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb preferir means to prefer, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Preferir means to prefer, and it is used for choices between two things — preferir el té al café — and for preferring to do something, preferir quedarse en casa. It is a stem-changing -ir verb with extra changes in the preterite and gerund, so it rewards careful study. Like every Spanish verb, preferir changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say prefiero el té al café, and in the preterite you say preferí el mar a la montaña. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: preferir
- English: to prefer
- Verb type: irregular verb, stem-changing (e → ie)
- Ending: -ir
- Gerund: prefiriendo
- Past participle: preferido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + preferido)
- Stem change: e → ie in the present, present subjunctive and imperative; nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for preferir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Preferir changes e to ie in the present and e to i in the preterite third person and the gerund: prefirió, prefiriendo.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for preferir. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | prefiero |
| tú | prefieres |
| él/ella/Ud. | prefiere |
| nosotros/as | preferimos |
| vosotros/as | preferís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | prefieren |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | preferí |
| tú | preferiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | prefirió |
| nosotros/as | preferimos |
| vosotros/as | preferisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | prefirieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | prefería |
| tú | preferías |
| él/ella/Ud. | prefería |
| nosotros/as | preferíamos |
| vosotros/as | preferíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | preferían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | preferiré |
| tú | preferirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | preferirá |
| nosotros/as | preferiremos |
| vosotros/as | preferiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | preferirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | preferiría |
| tú | preferirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | preferiría |
| nosotros/as | preferiríamos |
| vosotros/as | preferiríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | preferirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he preferido |
| tú | has preferido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha preferido |
| nosotros/as | hemos preferido |
| vosotros/as | habéis preferido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han preferido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había preferido |
| tú | habías preferido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había preferido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos preferido |
| vosotros/as | habíais preferido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían preferido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré preferido |
| tú | habrás preferido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá preferido |
| nosotros/as | habremos preferido |
| vosotros/as | habréis preferido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán preferido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría preferido |
| tú | habrías preferido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría preferido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos preferido |
| vosotros/as | habríais preferido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían preferido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | prefiera |
| tú | prefieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | prefiera |
| nosotros/as | prefiramos |
| vosotros/as | prefiráis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | prefieran |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | prefiriera |
| tú | prefirieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | prefiriera |
| nosotros/as | prefiriéramos |
| vosotros/as | prefirierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | prefirieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | prefiere |
| él/ella/Ud. | prefiera |
| nosotros/as | prefiramos |
| vosotros/as | preferid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | prefieran |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | prefieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | prefiera |
| nosotros/as | prefiramos |
| vosotros/as | prefiráis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | prefieran |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | prefiriendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy prefiriendo |
| Past participle | preferido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he preferido |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For preferir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Prefiero el té al café. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Preterite
Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For preferir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, preferí quedarse en casa. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect
Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For preferir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, prefería el mar a la montaña. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future
Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For preferir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, preferiré los libros a la televisión. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional
Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For preferir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Preferiría el té al café si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For preferir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he preferido quedarse en casa. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For preferir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había preferido el mar a la montaña antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For preferir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré preferido los libros a la televisión. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For preferir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría preferido el té al café con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For preferir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él prefiera quedarse en casa. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For preferir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él prefiriera el mar a la montaña, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (affirmative)
Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For preferir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Prefiere los libros a la televisión! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (negative)
Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For preferir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No prefieras el té al café. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with preferir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Prefiero el té al café. — I prefer tea to coffee.
- Prefiere quedarse en casa. — He/she prefers to stay at home.
- Ayer, preferí el mar a la montaña. — Yesterday, I preferred the sea to the mountains.
- Antes, nosotros preferíamos los libros a la televisión. — Before, we used to prefer books to television.
- Mañana, tú preferirás el té al café. — Tomorrow, you will prefer tea to coffee.
- Yo preferiría quedarse en casa si tuviera más tiempo. — I would prefer to stay at home if I had more time.
- Él ha preferido el mar a la montaña. — He has preferred the sea to the mountains.
- Espero que él prefiera los libros a la televisión. — I hope he prefers books to television.
- Yo ya había preferido el té al café antes de salir. — I had already preferred tea to coffee before leaving.
- Ellos preferían quedarse en casa cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to prefer to stay at home when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo prefiere el té al café. — Right: Yo prefiero el té al café. — The person matters: prefiere is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is prefiero. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Yo prefero quedarse en casa. — Right: Yo prefiero quedarse en casa. — Preferir is a stem-changing verb (e → ie), so the stem changes in the present singular and third-person plural. The nosotros form keeps the original stem.
- Wrong: Treating preferir and gustar as identical in every context. — Right: Preferir means to prefer, while gustar means to like, which works differently in Spanish. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: preferir fits sentences such as Prefiero el té al café, while gustar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy preferido quedarse en casa. — Right: Yo he preferido quedarse en casa. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he preferido, has preferido, ha preferido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo preferí el mar a la montaña todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo prefería el mar a la montaña todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (prefería), not the preterite. The preterite (preferí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on preferir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el té al café. (present tense) A. prefiero B. prefieres C. prefiere D. preferimos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ quedarse en casa. (preterite) A. preferí B. preferiste C. prefirieron D. prefirió
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el mar a la montaña. (imperfect) A. preferías B. preferían C. preferíamos D. prefería
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ los libros a la televisión. (future) A. preferiremos B. preferirás C. preferiré D. preferirá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el té al café si pudiera. (conditional) A. preferiría B. preferirías C. preferirían D. prefiero
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ quedarse en casa. (present subjunctive) A. prefieras B. prefiramos C. prefiero D. prefiera
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el mar a la montaña, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. prefiriéramos B. prefiero C. prefiriera D. prefirieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ los libros a la televisión. (present perfect) A. han preferido B. hemos preferido C. he preferido D. has preferido
Complete the command: ¡___ el té al café! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. prefiere B. prefiera C. prefiramos D. preferid
Which is the gerund of preferir, used with estar for the progressive? A. preferido B. prefiero C. preferí D. prefiriendo
Answer key
- prefiero — The first-person present of preferir is prefiero. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- prefirió — The third-person preterite of preferir is prefirió, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- preferíamos — The nosotros imperfect of preferir is preferíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- preferirás — The second-person future of preferir is preferirás.
- preferiría — The first-person conditional of preferir is preferiría, the form for what would happen.
- prefiera — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of preferir is prefiera.
- prefiriera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of preferir is prefiriera.
- hemos preferido — The nosotros present perfect of preferir is hemos preferido: hemos + preferido.
- prefiere — The affirmative tú imperative of preferir is prefiere.
- prefiriendo — The gerund of preferir is prefiriendo: estoy prefiriendo. The participle preferido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does preferir mean in English?
Preferir means to prefer. It is used in everyday situations such as Prefiero el té al café. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is preferir regular or irregular?
Preferir is a stem-changing verb (e → ie), so it is not fully regular: the stem changes in the present, the present subjunctive and the imperative, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. The preterite and the imperfect are regular. Check the tables above for the exact forms in each tense.
What is the difference between preferir and gustar?
Preferir means to prefer, while gustar means to like, which works differently in Spanish. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use preferir when you mean to prefer, as in Prefiero el té al café, and use gustar for to like, which works differently in Spanish. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I prefer” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo preferí quedarse en casa. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo prefería el mar a la montaña. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he preferido quedarse en casa.
How do I practise preferir?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the preferir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Preferir in the present tense — the full present-tense table for preferir.
- Preferir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for preferir.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Reunirse conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with preferir.
- Despedirse conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with preferir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.