The English verb "prefer" means "to favor, to choose" in English. It is a regular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "prefer" across all 5 tenses. New to English verbs? Start with the English verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "prefer" in the Present Tense
Simple Present Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | prefer |
| you | you (singular) | prefer |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | prefers |
| we | we | prefer |
| you | you (plural) | prefer |
| they | they | prefer |
He prefers the blue shirt today.
Ele prefere a camisa azul hoje.
How to Conjugate "prefer" in the Past Tense
Simple Past Actions that happened in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | preferred |
| you | you (singular) | preferred |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | preferred |
| we | we | preferred |
| you | you (plural) | preferred |
| they | they | preferred |
She preferred to walk home alone.
Ella prefirió caminar a casa sola.
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Simple Future Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | will prefer |
| you | you (singular) | will prefer |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | will prefer |
| we | we | will prefer |
| you | you (plural) | will prefer |
| they | they | will prefer |
She will prefer to stay home.
Ella preferirá quedarse en casa.
How to Conjugate "prefer" in the Present (-ing) Tense
Present Continuous Actions happening right now| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | am preferring |
| you | you (singular) | are preferring |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | is preferring |
| we | we | are preferring |
| you | you (plural) | are preferring |
| they | they | are preferring |
He is preferring to walk home.
Él está prefiriendo caminar a casa.
How to Conjugate "prefer" in the Have done Tense
Present Perfect Actions completed with present relevance| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | have preferred |
| you | you (singular) | have preferred |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | has preferred |
| we | we | have preferred |
| you | you (plural) | have preferred |
| they | they | have preferred |
She has preferred the blue dress.
Ella ha preferido el vestido azul.
Frequently Asked Questions About "prefer"
Is "prefer" regular or irregular in English?
"Prefer" is a regular English verb that follows standard conjugation patterns for its verb group.
What does "prefer" mean in English?
The English verb "prefer" means "to favor, to choose" in English.
How do you conjugate "prefer" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Simple Present): I → prefer, you → prefer, he/she/it → prefers, we → prefer, you → prefer, they → prefer.
How many tenses does "prefer" have in English?
"Prefer" is conjugated across 5 tenses in English: Present, Past, Future, Present (-ing), Have done.
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