Eu prefiro tomar banho antes de dormir.

I prefer to take a bath before sleeping.

Breakdown of Eu prefiro tomar banho antes de dormir.

• eu: I
• de: of
• preferir: to prefer
• antes: before
• dormir: to sleep
• tomar: to take
• o banho: the bath

Questions & Answers about Eu prefiro tomar banho antes de dormir.

Why do we say antes de dormir instead of something like antes dormir or antes que dormir?

The preposition de is required because antes de (literally “before of”) is the correct fixed expression to indicate that something happens before a certain action or time. In Portuguese, you cannot omit the preposition when using antes to mean “before doing something.”

What is the difference between tomar banho and tomar um banho in Portuguese?

Tomar banho is more common and natural in everyday Brazilian Portuguese to say “take a shower/bath.” Tomar um banho can be used as well, but it might slightly emphasize the act of taking one bath or shower. In general conversation, tomar banho sounds more fluent.

Is it always correct to use tomar when talking about taking a shower or bath?

Yes, tomar is the most common verb in Brazilian Portuguese for “take” when referring to a shower, bath, or even other actions like taking medicine (tomar remédio). You might hear ir ao banho in some contexts or regions, but it’s less common and can sound more formal or European Portuguese–influenced.

Can I say Eu gosto mais de tomar banho antes de dormir instead of Eu prefiro tomar banho antes de dormir?

Yes, you can. Both sentences convey a similar idea, but prefiro means “I prefer” and highlights a choice or priority, while gosto mais de means “I like more,” focusing on preference in terms of enjoyment.

Why do I need to include Eu? Can I just say Prefiro tomar banho antes de dormir?

Portuguese allows you to omit the subject pronoun if the context is clear. It’s completely acceptable to say Prefiro tomar banho antes de dormir without Eu. However, including Eu can emphasize the subject or make the sentence clearer, especially in writing or when you want to avoid ambiguity.