Breakdown of Prefiero descansar en casa en lugar de salir.
yo
I
la casa
the house
en
at
salir
to go out
descansar
to rest
preferir
to prefer
en lugar de
instead of
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Questions & Answers about Prefiero descansar en casa en lugar de salir.
Why is it descansar and not descanso?
With verbs of desire or preference like preferir, Spanish uses the infinitive when the subject is the same for both verbs.
- Prefiero descansar = I prefer to rest (I do both actions). If the subject changes, use que + subjunctive:
- Prefiero que tú descanses.
Should it be en casa or en la casa?
- en casa = at home (general, idiomatic, most common).
- en la casa = in the house (a specific house or the building interior). In everyday Spanish (Spain), say en casa unless you need to emphasize a specific house/interior.
Do I need the de in en lugar de salir?
Yes. en lugar de is a fixed expression meaning “instead of,” and it requires de before a noun or infinitive.
- Correct: en lugar de salir If the following clause has a different subject, you can use en lugar de que + subjunctive:
- Prefiero descansar en casa en lugar de que tú salgas.
Is en lugar de the same as en vez de?
They’re near-synonyms meaning “instead of.” In Spain:
- en vez de is a bit more colloquial.
- en lugar de can sound slightly more formal. Both are fine here.
Could I say Prefiero descansar en casa que salir or … a salir?
Standard patterns are:
- Preferir X a Y: Prefiero descansar en casa a salir.
- Preferir X antes que Y: Prefiero descansar en casa antes que salir. Many speakers say … que salir, but some style guides consider bare que less standard; a or antes que are safer.
Why not salirme?
salir means “to go out/leave.” salirse is a different verb meaning things like “to leak,” “to come off,” or “to go too far/out of bounds.” Here you want plain salir.
Should it be descansarme?
No. The normal verb is non‑reflexive descansar. Reflexive descansarse exists regionally but is uncommon in Spain for this meaning. Use descansar.
Can I front the contrast? For example: En lugar de salir, prefiero descansar en casa.
Yes. That reordering is natural and common. Use a comma after the fronted phrase.
How do I say “I’d rather rest at home…” more politely or softly?
Use the conditional:
- Preferiría descansar en casa en lugar de salir. Colloquial alternatives in Spain:
- Mejor me quedo en casa.
- Antes prefiero descansar en casa.
How is preferir conjugated in the present (Spain)?
It’s a stem‑changer (e > ie):
- yo prefiero
- tú prefieres
- él/ella/usted prefiere
- nosotros/nosotras preferimos
- vosotros/vosotras preferís
- ellos/ellas/ustedes prefieren
What’s the difference between descansar en casa and quedarme en casa?
- descansar en casa: to rest at home (emphasizes resting).
- quedarme en casa: to stay at home (you might or might not rest). So Prefiero quedarme en casa = I prefer to stay home.
When do I use a casa, en casa, and de casa?
- a casa = to home: Voy a casa.
- en casa = at home: Estoy en casa.
- de casa = from home: Salgo de casa.
Is repeating en in en casa en lugar de okay?
Yes. The first en belongs to en casa and the second to the fixed phrase en lugar de. It’s natural.
Does salir here mean “to go out socially” or just “to leave”?
With no complement, salir often implies “to go out” (socially) in Spain, but context decides. If you mean “leave the house,” say salir de casa for clarity.
Can I use a gerund? Is Prefiero descansando en casa correct?
No. After preferir, Spanish uses the infinitive, not the gerund.
- Correct: Prefiero descansar en casa. You could say Prefiero estar descansando en casa, but that changes the nuance and is less typical as a general preference.
What’s the difference between en lugar de salir and para no salir?
- en lugar de salir = instead of going out (replacement/alternative).
- para no salir = so as not to go out (purpose/goal). Both can be fine, but they express different nuances.