Prefiero pensar antes de contestar.

I prefer to think before answering.

Breakdown of Prefiero pensar antes de contestar.

• yo: I
• antes de: before
• preferir: to prefer
• contestar: to answer

Questions & Answers about Prefiero pensar antes de contestar.

Why do we use pensar in the infinitive form rather than pienso (the first person present)?

In Spanish, when a verb expresses a preference or desire (like prefiero), it’s typically followed by an infinitive. So you say Prefiero pensar (I prefer to think), not Prefiero pienso.

Why is it antes de contestar instead of something like antes de contestarlo or antes de conteste?

1. Antes de + infinitive means before doing something in a general sense, so antes de contestar translates to before answering.
2. You’d use a direct object pronoun (like lo in contestarlo) if you already had a specific object in mind (e.g., before answering it).
3. If you want a subjunctive clause, you use antes de que plus a conjugated verb (e.g., antes de que conteste), which creates a different structure meaning before he/she answers.

Could I say Me gustaría pensar antes de contestar instead of Prefiero pensar antes de contestar?

Yes, you could. Me gustaría (I would like) is simply another way of expressing a desire but in a more polite or tentative manner. Prefiero (I prefer) is more direct. Both are grammatically correct; it just depends on the nuance you want.

Is always followed by an infinitive?