lieber
Translation
rather, preferably, sooner, dear
Examples
Ich trinke lieber Tee.
I'd rather drink tea.
Komm lieber morgen wieder.
Better come back tomorrow.
Lieber Freund, ich schreibe dir.
Dear friend, I am writing to you.
Grammar Patterns
lieber (+verb) (to prefer to do sth. / to rather do sth.) I'd rather stay at home.
lieber (+sth.) als (+sth.) (to prefer (sth.) over (sth.)) I prefer fish to meat.
Similar Words
Synonyms: rather, preferably; Antonyms: unwillingly, reluctantly.
Etymology
Comparative form of the adjective 'lieb' (dear, kind). From Old High German 'liob', related to English 'lief'.
Memory Tips
Think of "I'd rather..." which directly corresponds to "Ich ... lieber...". The '-er' ending indicates a comparison, just like in English "better" or "faster".