English → Arabic
prefer in Arabic
- Pronunciation
- faḍḍala
- Arabizi
faḍḍal- Type
- verb · masculine
- Root
- ف ض ل
How to use it
The verb 'فضل' (faḍḍala) means to prefer one thing over another. It is often used with the preposition 'على' (ʿalā) meaning 'over' or 'on'. The present tense form is 'يفضل' (yufaḍḍil).
Example sentences
-
أُفَضِّلُ الشَّايَ عَلَى القَهْوَةِ.
ʾufadḍilu š-šāya ʿalā l-qahwati.
I prefer tea over coffee.
-
هُوَ يُفَضِّلُ القِرَاءَةَ فِي المَسَاءِ.
huwa yufaḍḍilu l-qirāʾata fī l-masāʾi.
He prefers reading in the evening.
-
هَلْ تُفَضِّلُ هَذَا الكِتَابَ؟
hal tufaḍḍilu hāḏā l-kitāba?
Do you prefer this book?
Examples from real texts
Sentences taken from published bilingual texts (subtitles, documents). They show the word in context and are not reviewed one by one.
I prefer coffee.
أفضل القهوة.
I prefer biking.
أفضّل ركوب الدرّاجة الهوائيّة.
I prefer cats to dogs.
افضل القطط أكثر من الكلاب.
I prefer mineral water.
أنا أفضل المياه المعدنية.
We prefer to stay here.
نحن نفضل البقاء هنا.
I prefer coffee to tea.
أفضل شرب القهوة على شرب الشاي.
I'd prefer meat to fish.
أفضّل اللحم على السمك.
I prefer not to comment.
أفضل أن لا أعلّق.
And fruit that they prefer
« وفاكهة مما يتخيرون ».
I prefer swimming to skiing.
أنا أفضل السباحة على التزلج.
Which sentence do you prefer?
ما هي الجملة التي تفضلها؟
You prefer living with books.
أنتَ تفضِّل العيش مع الكتب.
Questions and answers
How do I say 'I prefer to...'?
You can say 'أفضل أن...' (ʾufadḍil ʾan...) followed by the verb in the present tense, e.g., 'أفضل أن أذهب' (ʾufadḍil ʾan ʾaḏhaba) - I prefer to go.
What is the noun form of 'prefer'?
The noun form is 'تفضيل' (tafḍīl), which means preference or favour.
Related words and expressions
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