preferirías
/pɾefeɾiɾias/from spelling rules
The English phrase "would you rather" is translated into Spanish as preferirías.
This phrase is used to ask someone to choose between two or more options based on their preference. In Spanish, the phrase is typically followed by an infinitive verb (the base form of the verb) to present the options.
Which one should you use?
While "would you rather" is a fixed idiom in English, preferirías is a conjugated verb that changes based on the person (e.g., preferiríamos for "would we rather").
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin American Spanish, '¿Tú prefieres bailar o cantar?' is an example of using 'prefieres' instead of 'preferirías' in informal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form preferirías is the second-person singular conditional form of the verb preferir.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾefeɾiɾias/
Did you know?
- In some regions, instead of preferirías, people use más bien to express a preference for one thing over another. This phrase literally translates to 'more well' but functions as 'rather'.
- Switching from preferirías to preferiría is not just a stylistic choice, but a social necessity when speaking to a boss or stranger. Using the informal version in these settings can be interpreted as a sign of disrespect.
- If you change the sentence to prefiero que ('I prefer that'), you must trigger a grammatical shift called the subjunctive mood for the following verb. This is a complex requirement that does not exist in the English 'would you rather' structure.
Examples in context
- ¿Preferirías jugar al tenis o al golf?Would you rather play tennis or golf?This example shows how to use preferirías to offer a choice between two sports.Tatoeba #1001045 by Shishir, translation #954720 by CK
- ¿Preferirías ir de pesca o ir de caza?Would you rather go fishing or go hunting?This example shows how to use preferirías to offer a choice between two outdoor activities.Tatoeba #1001048 by Shishir, translation #954718 by CK
- ¿Preferirías estar ciego o estar sordo?Would you rather be blind or be deaf?This example shows how to use preferirías to ask a hypothetical question about physical senses.Tatoeba #1001050 by Shishir, translation #954716 by CK
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- Alejandro¿Preferirías comer pizza o sushi?Would you rather eat pizza or sushi?
- SofíaPrefiero la pizza, Alejandro.I prefer pizza, Alejandro.
- AlejandroPerfecto, pidamos una de pepperoni.Perfect, let's order a pepperoni one.
- SofíaMe parece muy bien.That sounds great to me.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
