Prefiero una naranja para merendar.

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Breakdown of Prefiero una naranja para merendar.

• para: for
• una: an
• preferir: to prefer

Questions & Answers about Prefiero una naranja para merendar.

What does the phrase para merendar add to the sentence?

It expresses purpose: “for an afternoon snack.” In Spanish, para + infinitive often means “for the purpose of …,” so para merendar = “to have as an afternoon snack.”

Is merendar a verb or a noun here? What’s the noun?

Here it’s a verb (infinitive) meaning “to have an afternoon snack.” The related noun is la merienda (the snack/tea-time itself).

Can I say para la merienda instead of para merendar?

Yes, but there’s a nuance:

• para merendar = general purpose (“to snack on”).
• para la merienda = for the specific snack/meal (“for the snack,” often a particular occasion). Both are correct; the infinitive is more common for general preferences.

Could I say Prefiero merendar una naranja?

Yes. Prefiero merendar una naranja means “I prefer to snack on an orange.” Your original Prefiero una naranja para merendar focuses first on the item; both are idiomatic.

Why is there no yo before prefiero?