The verb "preferir" is a stem-changing verb in Spanish. It follows the conjugation pattern of an "-ir" verb, but it also undergoes a change in its stem when conjugated in the present tense. Specifically, the "e" in the stem changes to "ie" in all forms except for the nosotros and vosotros forms.
Here is the conjugation of "preferir" in the present tense:
- Yo prefiero (I prefer)
- Tú prefieres (You prefer - informal singular)
- Él/Ella/Usted prefiere (He/She/You prefer - formal singular)
- Nosotros/Nosotras preferimos (We prefer)
- Vosotros/Vosotras preferís (You prefer - informal plural)
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes prefieren (They/You prefer - formal plural)
Explanation of the Stem Change:
In the present tense, the "e" in "preferir" transforms into "ie" in most forms, which is characteristic of certain stem-changing verbs in Spanish. This type of change occurs in the singular first, second, and third person forms, and in the plural third person forms (e.g., "yo", "tú", "él", "ella", "ustedes"). However, the "nosotros" and "vosotros" forms remain unaffected and keep the original "e" sound.
This pattern of stem change is referred to as a "bien" stem change, which contributes to the unique phonetic and morphological characteristics of these types of verbs in the present tense.
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