5.2 Comparing Preferences (Preferir and Comparatives)

Comparing preferences is a crucial skill in Spanish communication. It allows you to express what you like more or less, using the verb "preferir" and comparative structures. These tools help you articulate your choices and opinions clearly.

Understanding how to use "preferir" and comparatives enhances your ability to discuss likes and dislikes. By mastering these concepts, you'll be able to express preferences between options, compare qualities, and highlight superlatives in various contexts.

Expressing Preferences with preferir

Conjugation and Usage of preferir

• Conjugate the irregular verb preferir which changes the stem to "prefier-" in all singular and third person plural forms
  • Present tense conjugations: prefiero, prefieres, prefiere, preferimos, preferís, prefieren
• Commonly follow preferir with a noun or infinitive verb to express a preference between two or more things or actions
  • Express a preference for a thing (Prefiero el café. I prefer coffee.)
  • Express a preference between actions (¿Prefieres estudiar o mirar la televisión? Do you prefer to study or watch television?)
• Use the preposition a before a noun when comparing preferences using preferir (Prefiero el té al café. I prefer tea to coffee.)
• Utilize indirect object pronouns with preferir to indicate to whom the preference belongs (Nos prefieren a nosotros. They prefer us.)

Comparing Likes and Dislikes

Comparative Structures

• Use the comparative structure más...que to compare two things or actions, indicating that one is greater or more than the other (El español es más fácil que el chino. Spanish is easier than Chinese.)
• Use the comparative structure menos...que to compare two things or actions, indicating that one is lesser or less than the other (Los perros son menos independientes que los gatos. Dogs are less independent than cats.)
• Use the comparative structure tan...como to compare two things or actions, indicating that they are equal (Mi casa es tan grande como la tuya. My house is as big as yours.)
• Apply comparatives with nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs
  • Compare nouns (Tengo más libros que tú. I have more books than you.)
  • Compare adjectives (Ella es más alta que yo. She is taller than I am.)
  • Compare adverbs (Ella canta mejor que yo. She sings better than I do.)
  • Compare verbs (Trabajo tanto como mi hermano. I work as much as my brother.)

Comparing Items with Adjectives and Adverbs

Forming Comparative Adjectives and Adverbs

• Form comparative adjectives by adding "-er" or "more" before the adjective
  • Regular comparative adjectives (bigger más grande, more intelligent más inteligente)
  • Irregular comparative adjectives (better mejor, worse peor, older mayor, younger menor)
• Form comparative adverbs by adding "-er" or "more" before the adverb
  • Regular comparative adverbs (faster más rápido, more slowly más lentamente)
  • Irregular comparative adverbs (better mejor, worse peor, more más, less menos)

Comparing More Than Two Items

• Use the word de after the comparative when comparing more than two items (Juan es el más alto de la clase. Juan is the tallest in the class.)
• Place the definite article (el, la, los, las) before más or menos and the adjective to form superlative adjectives (the biggest el más grande, the least interesting la menos interesante)
• Place the definite article (el, la, los, las) before más or menos and the adverb to form superlative adverbs (the fastest el más rápido, the least slowly la menos lentamente)

Superlative Structures for Highest Preference

Forming Superlatives

• Use the de preposition after the superlative to indicate the group being compared (Ella es la más lista de la familia. She is the smartest in the family.)
• Recognize irregular superlative adjectives (the best el mejor, the worst el peor, the oldest el mayor, the youngest el menor)
• Recognize irregular superlative adverbs (the best lo mejor, the worst lo peor, the most lo más, the least lo menos)