The Portuguese 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. New to Portuguese verbs? Start with the Portuguese verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Present Tense
Presente do indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| eu | I | prefiro |
| tu | you (informal) | preferes |
| ele/ela/você | he/she/you (formal) | prefere |
| nós | we | preferimos |
| vós | you all (formal) | preferis |
| eles/elas/vocês | they/you all | preferem |
Ele prefere viajar de comboio.
say it EH-leh preh-FEH-reh vyeh-ZHAHR
He prefers to travel by train.
In other languages
- French Il préfère voyager en train.
- German Er reist lieber mit dem Zug.
- Spanish Prefiere viajar en tren.
- Dutch Hij reist liever met de trein.
Eu prefiro café com leite.
say it EH-oo preh-FEE-roo kah-FEH
I prefer coffee with milk.
In other languages
- French Je préfère le café au lait.
- German Ich bevorzuge Kaffee mit Milch.
- Spanish Prefiero el café con leche.
- Dutch Ik geef de voorkeur aan koffie met melk.
How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Past (completed) Tense
Pretérito perfeito simples Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| eu | I | preferi |
| tu | you (informal) | preferiste |
| ele/ela/você | he/she/you (formal) | preferiu |
| nós | we | preferimos |
| vós | you all (formal) | preferistes |
| eles/elas/vocês | they/you all | preferiram |
Ela preferiu viajar de comboio.
say it EH-lah pruh-fuh-REEO vee-ah-ZHAHR duh kohn-BOI-oo
She preferred to travel by train.
In other languages
- French Elle préférait voyager en train.
- German Sie zog es vor, mit dem Zug zu reisen.
- Spanish Ella prefería viajar en tren.
- Dutch Zij gaf er de voorkeur aan om met de trein te reizen.
Eu preferi ficar em casa hoje.
say it eu pruh-fuh-REE fee-KAHR en KAH-zah OH-zhuh
I preferred to stay home today.
In other languages
- French J'ai préféré rester à la maison aujourd'hui.
- German Ich zog es heute vor, zu Hause zu bleiben.
- Spanish Preferí quedarme en casa hoy.
- Dutch Ik gaf er vandaag de voorkeur aan om thuis te blijven.
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Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "preferir" in the Past (ongoing) Tense
Pretérito imperfeito Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| eu | I | preferia |
| tu | you (informal) | preferias |
| ele/ela/você | he/she/you (formal) | preferia |
| nós | we | preferíamos |
| vós | you all (formal) | preferíeis |
| eles/elas/vocês | they/you all | preferiam |
Ele preferia caminhar na praia.
say it EH-luh preh-feh-REE-ah kah-mee-NYAHR nah PRY-ah
He used to prefer walking on the beach.
In other languages
- French Il préférait marcher sur la plage.
- German Er zog es früher vor, am Strand spazieren zu gehen.
- Spanish Solía preferir caminar por la playa.
- Dutch Hij gaf er vroeger de voorkeur aan om op het strand te wandelen.
Eu preferia café ao chá quente.
say it eh-OO preh-feh-REE-ah kah-FEH ow SHAH KEN-tuh
I used to prefer coffee to hot tea.
In other languages
- French J'avais l'habitude de préférer le café au thé chaud.
- German Ich bevorzugte früher Kaffee gegenüber heißem Tee.
- Spanish Solía preferir el café al té caliente.
- Dutch Ik gaf er vroeger de voorkeur aan koffie boven hete thee.
How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Future Tense
Futuro do presente Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| eu | I | preferirei |
| tu | you (informal) | preferirás |
| ele/ela/você | he/she/you (formal) | preferirá |
| nós | we | preferiremos |
| vós | you all (formal) | preferireis |
| eles/elas/vocês | they/you all | preferirão |
Ele preferirá ficar em casa.
say it EH-luh pruh-fuh-ree-RAH fee-KAH en KAH-zah
He will prefer to stay home.
In other languages
- French Il préférera rester à la maison.
- German Er wird es vorziehen, zu Hause zu bleiben.
- Spanish Él preferirá quedarse en casa.
- Dutch Hij zal er de voorkeur aan geven om thuis te blijven.
Eu preferirei o café ao chá.
say it eu pruh-fuh-ree-REH oo kah-FEH ow SHAH
I will prefer coffee to tea.
In other languages
- French Je préférerai le café au thé.
- German Ich werde Kaffee gegenüber Tee bevorzugen.
- Spanish Preferiré el café al té.
- Dutch Ik zal koffie boven thee verkiezen.
How to Conjugate "preferir" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condicional Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| eu | I | preferiria |
| tu | you (informal) | preferirias |
| ele/ela/você | he/she/you (formal) | preferiria |
| nós | we | preferiríamos |
| vós | you all (formal) | preferiríeis |
| eles/elas/vocês | they/you all | prefeririam |
Ele preferiria ficar em casa.
say it EH-luh pruh-fuh-REE-REE-ah fee-KAHR em KAH-zah
He would prefer to stay home.
In other languages
- French Il préférerait rester à la maison.
- German Er würde es vorziehen, zu Hause zu bleiben.
- Spanish Él preferiría quedarse en casa.
- Dutch Hij zou er de voorkeur aan geven om thuis te blijven.
Eu preferiria café com leite.
say it eu pruh-fuh-REE-REE-ah kah-FEH kohn LAY-tuh
I would prefer coffee with milk.
In other languages
- French Je préférerais du café avec du lait.
- German Ich würde Kaffee mit Milch bevorzugen.
- Spanish Preferiría café con leche.
- Dutch Ik zou koffie met melk verkiezen.
Frequently Asked Questions About "preferir"
Is "preferir" regular or irregular in Portuguese?
"Preferir" is an irregular Portuguese verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "preferir" mean in English?
The Portuguese verb "preferir" means "to prefer" in English.
How do you conjugate "preferir" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente do indicativo): eu → prefiro, tu → preferes, ele/ela/você → prefere, nós → preferimos, vós → preferis, eles/elas/vocês → preferem.
How many tenses does "preferir" have in Portuguese?
"Preferir" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Portuguese: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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