Prefiero una camiseta a rayas para salir con mis amigos.

I prefer a striped T-shirt to go out with my friends.

Breakdown of Prefiero una camiseta a rayas para salir con mis amigos.

• el amigo: the friend
• yo: I
• una: a
• mi: my
• para: to
• con: with
• salir: to go out
• preferir: to prefer
• la camiseta: the T-shirt
• a rayas: striped

Questions & Answers about Prefiero una camiseta a rayas para salir con mis amigos.

Why is it prefiero and not something like yo prefiero? Is the yo implied?

Yes, the yo is implied. In Spanish, the verb ending usually shows who the subject is:

• prefiero = I prefer
• prefiere = he/she prefers
• preferimos = we prefer, etc.

Because prefiero already indicates “I,” you don’t need yo unless you want to emphasize it:

• Yo prefiero una camiseta a rayas… = I (as opposed to others) prefer a striped T‑shirt…

In neutral sentences, Spanish often drops the subject pronoun.

What kind of verb is preferir? Is there anything irregular about prefiero?

Preferir is an irregular stem‑changing verb (e → ie).

• Infinitive: preferir
• Stem: prefer‑
• In some forms, e changes to ie: prefiero, prefieres, prefiere, prefieren
• In nosotros and vosotros: preferimos, preferís (no change)

So:

• (yo) prefiero una camiseta… = I prefer a T‑shirt…

Why is it una camiseta and not la camiseta?

Una camiseta here means “a (any) T‑shirt,” not a specific one.

• una camiseta = a T‑shirt (non‑specific, one of many possible)
• la camiseta = the T‑shirt (a specific one the speaker and listener know)

In English you also say “I prefer *a striped T‑shirt…” rather than “I prefer the striped T‑shirt…”* when you’re talking in general about your preference.

What’s the difference between camiseta and camisa?

In Spain:

• camiseta = T‑shirt / tee / casual top (usually knit, short sleeves, no buttons)
• camisa = shirt (collar, buttons, more formal, like a dress shirt)

So camiseta a rayas is a striped T‑shirt, not a striped (button‑up) shirt.

Why is it a rayas? Could it be de rayas or rayada?

All three exist, but they’re used slightly differently.

• a rayas – very common for patterns:
  
  • una camiseta a rayas = a striped T‑shirt
• de rayas – also correct and common, similar meaning:
  
  • una camiseta de rayas = a striped T‑shirt
• rayada – literally “striped / scratched,” more like an adjective:
  • una camiseta rayada (understood, but less common in everyday speech for clothing; more descriptive/literary, or can sound like “scratched / marked” in other contexts)

In everyday talk about clothes, a rayas (and de rayas) are the most natural.

What does the a in a rayas actually mean here? Is it a preposition like “to”?

It is the preposition a, but here it’s part of a fixed pattern used for designs and patterns in Spanish. You can think of it loosely as “in a … pattern”:

• a rayas = striped
• a cuadros = checkered
• a lunares = polka‑dotted

You don’t usually translate the a directly into English; you just say “striped / checkered / polka‑dotted.”

Why is it para salir and not por salir?

Para is used for purpose or goal:

• para salir con mis amigos = to go out with my friends / for going out with my friends (the reason you prefer that T‑shirt)

Por would suggest a cause/reason or “because of,” and por salir is not idiomatic in this sentence to express purpose. For intended use or purpose, choose para:

• Lo quiero para salir esta noche. = I want it to go out tonight.

Is salir here “to go out” in the social sense (like going out at night)?

Yes. Salir is very commonly used in Spanish to mean:

• salir (por ahí / de fiesta / con amigos) = to go out (socially), to go out partying, to hang out

So para salir con mis amigos means “to go out/hang out with my friends,” not just physically leaving the house.

Why is it con mis amigos and not con los amigos?

Both exist, but they feel different:

• con mis amigos = with my friends (your specific group of friends)
• con los amigos = literally with the friends; in context it can mean “with (my/our) friends” in a more generic way, but it sounds less personal or more like a set phrase.

In English you naturally say “with my friends,” so con mis amigos is the most straightforward equivalent here.

Could you change the word order? For example: Para salir con mis amigos, prefiero una camiseta a rayas?

Yes, that’s perfectly correct:

• Prefiero una camiseta a rayas para salir con mis amigos.
• Para salir con mis amigos, prefiero una camiseta a rayas.

Both mean the same. The second version puts more emphasis on the context “for going out with my friends” at the start, but the meaning does not really change.

Can I say Me gusta más una camiseta a rayas instead of Prefiero una camiseta a rayas?

Yes, but there’s a nuance:

• Prefiero una camiseta a rayas = I prefer a striped T‑shirt (more direct, “I choose this over something else”).
• Me gusta más una camiseta a rayas = I like a striped T‑shirt more (more like comparing likes; slightly softer, more subjective sounding).

Grammatically both are fine; preferir is the straightforward “to prefer.”

Is una camiseta a rayas singular on purpose? What if I’m talking about my general style, can I make it plural?

Singular is fine for a general preference, but you can also use plural:

• Prefiero una camiseta a rayas…
  = I prefer a striped T‑shirt (when I choose one to wear / buy).
• Prefiero las camisetas a rayas…
  = I prefer striped T‑shirts (in general, as a type of clothing).

Both are correct. Singular often feels like you’re talking about your choice in a specific situation; plural feels more like a general statement about your tastes.

Why is mis plural in con mis amigos, not mi amigos?

Because amigos is plural, and possessive adjectives in Spanish agree in number (and sometimes gender) with the noun they modify:

• mi amigo = my friend (singular)
• mis amigos = my friends (plural)

So with amigos, you must say mis.