Cuando tengo resfriado, prefiero quedarme en casa y beber té caliente.

When I have a cold, I prefer to stay home and drink hot tea.

Breakdown of Cuando tengo resfriado, prefiero quedarme en casa y beber té caliente.

• yo: I
• tener: to have
• la casa: the house
• beber: to drink
• en: in
• cuando: when
• y: and
• preferir: to prefer
• caliente: hot
• el té: the tea
• el resfriado: the cold
• quedarse: to stay

Questions & Answers about Cuando tengo resfriado, prefiero quedarme en casa y beber té caliente.

Why does the sentence use tengo resfriado instead of something like estoy resfriado?

In Spanish, having a cold is generally expressed with the verb tener (to have) followed by resfriado. It’s a standard way to say you have a cold, rather than saying you are cold with an equivalent of “I am cold.”

Why is quedarme used instead of just quedar?

The reflexive form quedarme means “to stay (myself)” or “to remain.” Using quedar without the reflexive pronoun typically means “to arrange to meet” or “to be left with something.” Since you’re talking about remaining in a place, quedarme is the correct choice.

Why is prefiero followed by the infinitives quedarme and beber without any linking word?

In Spanish, certain verbs like preferir, querer, and poder are directly followed by the infinitive form of verbs without a linking preposition. So it’s standard to say prefiero quedarme or prefiero beber.

Can I use constipado instead of resfriado in Spain?

Yes, constipado is also commonly used in Spain to describe having a cold. Resfriado and constipado can often be used interchangeably, though constipado is more frequent in everyday Spanish in some regions.

Why say té caliente separately instead of something like un té caliente?

You can include the article and say beber un té caliente, but it’s not mandatory. Saying beber té caliente focuses on the general idea of drinking hot tea, without specifying a particular cup or serving. Both forms are correct, but the sentence just uses the noun without an article.