prefer
/prɪˈfɜː(r)/verb
उच्चारण प्रिफ़र
(एक की तुलना में दूसरे को) अधिक पसंद करना, तरजीह देना
Basic wordPYP · asked 3 times
Asked in previous papers
as synonym
- 1
[T] ~ sth (to sth) | ~ doing sth (to doing sth) | ~ to do sth
to like one thing or person better than another; to choose one thing rather than something else
(एक की तुलना में दूसरे को) अधिक पसंद करना, तरजीह देना
- I prefer tea to coffee.
- She prefers reading to watching television.
- I prefer to study alone.
+ 3 more examples
- Do you prefer rice or chapatis with dal?
- Many people prefer travelling by train to going by bus.
- Radhika would prefer not to speak in public today.
§Structures (grammar patterns) 4
prefer + noun + to + noun
To say which of two things you like better, use prefer A to B. Do not use than.
दो चीज़ों में से कौन-सी अधिक पसंद है, यह बताने के लिए 'prefer A to B' का प्रयोग होता है; 'than' नहीं।
- Radhika prefers tea to coffee.
- Most students prefer notes to long textbooks.
prefer + -ing + to + -ing
For a general liking, use gerunds on both sides of to.
सामान्य पसंद के लिए 'to' के दोनों ओर gerund का प्रयोग होता है।
- I prefer walking to driving in the morning.
- He prefers reading to watching television.
prefer to + infinitive (rather than + infinitive)
For a particular choice or habit, use prefer to do. Add rather than + bare infinitive for the other option.
किसी विशेष चुनाव या आदत के लिए 'prefer to do' आता है; दूसरे विकल्प के लिए 'rather than + bare infinitive' जोड़ा जाता है।
- I would prefer to stay at home rather than go out in the rain.
- She prefers to study at night.
prefer + object + to-infinitive / would prefer + that
To state what you want another person to do, use prefer + person + to do, or a that-clause in formal English.
किसी अन्य व्यक्ति से जो अपेक्षा हो उसे बताने के लिए 'prefer + व्यक्ति + to do' या formal English में that-clause का प्रयोग होता है।
- The manager prefers staff to arrive early.
- I would prefer that you call me after eight.
+Collocations 4
adverb + prefer
stronglygenerallyusuallymuchfar
- Most villagers strongly prefer morning classes.
would prefer + noun / verb
would prefer towould much preferwould prefer not towould rather
- I would much prefer a quiet seat near the window.
prefer + choice
prefer teaprefer the trainprefer English mediumprefer the village
- Many families prefer the train to the bus on long journeys.
prefer + noun phrase
prefer a cooked mealprefer simple clothesprefer old songsprefer a small town
- My grandfather prefers old songs to new ones.
“More examples 5
- Radhika prefers to revise early in the morning.
राधिका सुबह जल्दी revision करना पसंद करती है।
- Many commuters prefer the metro to the bus because it is faster.
कई यात्री मेट्रो को बस से बेहतर मानते हैं क्योंकि वह तेज़ है।
- I would prefer not to discuss my result with anyone yet.
मैं अपना परिणाम अभी किसी से चर्चा करना पसंद नहीं करूँगा।
- The company prefers candidates with some experience.
कंपनी कुछ अनुभव वाले उम्मीदवारों को वरीयता देती है।
- The judge preferred the second argument to the first.
न्यायाधीश ने पहली दलील की तुलना में दूसरी दलील को पसंद किया।
!Common mistakes 3
✗ I prefer tea than coffee.
✓ I prefer tea to coffee.
Prefer takes to for comparison, never than.
तुलना में 'prefer' के साथ 'to' आता है, 'than' नहीं।
✗ She prefers to read than to watch television.
✓ She prefers reading to watching television.
Prefer A to B needs the same form on both sides; with infinitives use rather than.
'Prefer A to B' में दोनों ओर समान रूप चाहिए; infinitive के साथ 'rather than' आता है।
✗ I am preferring English medium for my son.
✓ I prefer English medium for my son.
Prefer is a stative verb and is not used in the continuous form.
'Prefer' stative verb है और continuous रूप में प्रयुक्त नहीं होता।
≠Thesaurus: which synonym when
These expressions all show choice, but they differ in strength and structure.
ये अभिव्यक्तियाँ चुनाव दिखाती हैं, पर बल और संरचना में अंतर है।
To like one thing better than another; takes to for comparison.
एक चीज़ को दूसरी से अधिक पसंद करना; तुलना में 'to' आता है।
- She prefers rice to chapati.
To support or treat one person or option better; more formal.
किसी व्यक्ति या विकल्प का पक्ष लेना या उसके साथ बेहतर व्यवहार करना; अधिक formal।
- The teacher does not favour any student.
To pick one option from several after thinking.
सोच-विचार के बाद कई विकल्पों में से एक चुनना।
- He chose the science stream.
◇Word family
?Which word?
prefer … to, not prefer … than
Between two nouns or -ing forms, use to: 'prefer tea to coffee'. With two infinitives, use rather than: 'I prefer to walk rather than take a bus.'
दो nouns या दो gerunds के बीच prefer के साथ to आता है, than नहीं आता, जैसे 'prefer tea to coffee'। जब दो infinitives हों, तब rather than आता है, जैसे 'I prefer to walk rather than take a bus.'
§Grammar and usage
'prefer tea than coffee' is wrong; use 'prefer tea to coffee'.
'prefer tea than coffee' गलत है, सही 'prefer tea to coffee' है।