Я предпочитаю чай.

I prefer tea.

Breakdown of Я предпочитаю чай.

• я: I
• чай: the tea
• предпочитать: to prefer

Questions & Answers about Я предпочитаю чай.

What is the meaning of предпочитаю in this sentence?

The verb form предпочитаю means I prefer. It’s the present‐tense, first‐person singular of the verb предпочитать, used here to express a preference.

What is the infinitive form of предпочитаю?

The infinitive is предпочитать, which means to prefer. This is the base form you’ll find in dictionaries.

What tense, person, number, and aspect is предпочитаю?

предпочитаю is: • present tense
• first person singular (I)
• imperfective aspect
Imperfective verbs describe ongoing, habitual, or repeated actions.

Which conjugation pattern does предпочитать follow?

предпочитать follows the first conjugation pattern (even though it ends in –ать). Its present‐tense endings are: –ю, –ешь, –ет, –ем, –ете, –ют.
That’s why предпочитаю ends in -ю.

Why is чай not changed or preceded by a preposition?

The verb предпочитать is transitive and takes a direct object in the accusative case. Чай is a masculine inanimate noun whose accusative singular form is identical to its nominative, so it appears simply as чай without any preposition.

How do I express “I prefer tea to coffee” in Russian?

You have a few options: • Я предпочитаю чай кофе. (Both nouns are accusative; coffee is indeclinable.)
• Я предпочитаю чай, а не кофе. (I prefer tea, not coffee.)
• Мне больше нравится чай, чем кофе. (I like tea more than coffee.)

Can I omit the pronoun я?

Yes. Russian is a pro‐drop language, so you can say предпочитаю чай and the subject I is understood from the verb ending.

Where is the stress in предпочитаю?

The stress falls on the fourth syllable: пред-по-чи-та́-ю. Emphasize the та́ part.

What’s the difference between предпочитать and любить?

• предпочитать (to prefer) highlights a choice between two or more options.
• любить (to love/like) expresses general affection or enjoyment without that comparative nuance.
If you want to say “I like tea” (in general), use любить; to say “I prefer tea over coffee,” use предпочитать.