prefer "X" to "Y": I prefer cofee to tea you prefer wine to beer he prefers tacos to burritos they prefer driving to walking. prefer to X: I prefer to dance I like to walk but you prefer to run prefer Xing I prefer dancing I prefer running I would prefer... expresses a preference (a thing I like) either now or in the future: I would prefer to go dancing Would you prefer that we go to a Chinese restaurant?