preferido

Preferido is a Spanish adjective and, in some contexts, a noun, meaning “preferred” or “favorite.” It is derived from the verb preferir and is used to indicate that something is chosen over alternatives due to personal or common preference. In English, it is typically translated as “preferred” or “favorite.”

Grammatical notes: Preferido agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies: preferido (masculine singular), preferida (feminine singular), preferidos (masculine plural), preferidas (feminine plural). It can appear before the noun (un libro preferido) or after a linking verb (Este libro es mi preferido). It can also function as a noun in phrases like “el preferido entre los candidatos,” meaning “the favored one among the candidates.”

Usage tips: Preferido usually expresses personal preference or a common choice rather than an objective judgment. For more general or normative recommendations, Spanish often uses preferible (more advisable) or the adverbial phrases de preferencia or preferiblemente (preferably).

Etymology and related terms: Preferido comes from Latin praeferre, combining prae- (before) and ferre (to bear). Related terms include preferir (to prefer), preferible (preferable), and the adverbs de preferencia or preferiblemente.

See also: preferir, preferible, de preferencia, preferiblemente.