Prefiero jugo de naranja sin azúcar añadido.

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Breakdown of Prefiero jugo de naranja sin azúcar añadido.

• de: of
• preferir: to prefer
• sin: without

Questions & Answers about Prefiero jugo de naranja sin azúcar añadido.

Why is there no article before jugo de naranja? Could I say “Prefiero el jugo de naranja”?

Both are possible, but they sound slightly different.

• Prefiero jugo de naranja sin azúcar añadido.
  → More general: “I prefer orange juice (as a type of drink) with no added sugar.”
  No article is often used when talking about things in general, especially food/drink in a generic way.

• Prefiero el jugo de naranja sin azúcar añadido.
  → Can sound more specific: “I prefer the orange juice without added sugar,” for example in a situation where you’re choosing between different options on a menu or at a table.

In everyday speech, especially when talking about what you like in general, the version without the article (jugo de naranja) is very common and perfectly natural.

Why is it prefiero and not me prefiero?

In Spanish, preferir is a normal (non-reflexive) verb:

• Preferir = “to prefer”

You just conjugate it like any other verb and do not add me:

• Yo prefiero = I prefer
• Tú prefieres = You prefer
• Él/Ella prefiere = He/She prefers
• Nosotros preferimos
• Ustedes/Ellos prefieren

Me prefiero would literally mean “I prefer myself,” which is not what you want here and sounds wrong in this context.