The Spanish verb preferir (to prefer) is semi-regular since the stem changes in some forms of El Presente, but it has regular ‑ir group endings:
| yo | prefiero |
| tú | prefieres |
| él / ella / Ud. | prefiere |
| nosotros / nosotras | preferimos |
| vosotros / vosotras | preferís |
| ellos / ellas / Uds. | prefieren |
Notice how for all three groups, the first vowel -e- in the stem becomes -ie- except for the nosotros and vosotros forms.
Look at and listen to these examples:
Yo prefiero comer pescado en vez de carne.
I prefer to eat fish rather than meat.
¿Tú prefieres ir en tren o en avión?
Do you prefer going by train or plane?
Ella prefiere quedarse en casa.
She prefers to stay at home.
Nosotros preferimos ir al campo otro día.
We prefer going to the countryside another day.
¿Vosotros preferís ir a México o Panamá?
Do you prefer going to Mexico or Panama?
Ellos prefieren ir al parque que al centro comercial.
They prefer to go to the park than to the mall.
List of Common Spanish stem-changing (e > ie) verbs in the present tense
Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics
Examples and resources
¿Vosotros preferís ir a México o Panamá?
Do you prefer going to Mexico or Panama?
Ella prefiere quedarse en casa.
She prefers to stay at home.
Nosotros preferimos ir al campo otro día.
We prefer going to the countryside another day.
¿Tú prefieres ir en tren o en avión?
Do you prefer going by train or plane?
Yo prefiero comer pescado en vez de carne.
I prefer to eat fish rather than meat.
Ellos prefieren ir al parque que al centro comercial.
They prefer to go to the park than to the mall.
Q&A
Silvia
Kwiziq language super star
12/08/18
britt
Kwiziq community member
6 December 2018
2 replies
usted
does the word usted or ustedes change the person form ?
Silvia
Kwiziq language super star
7 December 2018
7/12/18
¡Hola Britt!
"Usted" is the equivalent of "you formal singular" and it is always conjugated in the 3rd person singular ("he/she" form). For example, "usted es muy simpático".
"Ustedes" is the equivalent of "you formal plural" and it is always conjugated in the 3rd person plural ("they" form). For example, "ustedes son muy simpáticos".
I hope this explanation helps.
Silvia.
britt
Kwiziq community member
7 December 2018
7/12/18
yes it does, tiswhat i suspected, but I was surprised too as it is normally the 2nd person, either of singular or plural so I though it would conjugate that way but no... so a bit of adaptation is required of me.
thanks for your answer..
Britt