Choisir Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

choisir — “to choose” — is one of the verbs you will use every day in French. On this page you will find choisir in real sentences, grouped by meaning and tense, two short dialogues that show it in context, the mistakes learners actually make with it, and a ten-question quiz with explained answers. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then test yourself. A first sentence to fix the verb in your memory: “Je choisis un livre à la librairie.” — “I choose a book at the bookshop.”

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for choisir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

Example sentences with choisir

In the present tense

  • “Je choisis un livre à la librairie tous les jours.” — “I choose a book at the bookshop.”
  • “Tu choisis un livre à la librairie souvent.” — “You choose a book at the bookshop.”
  • “Il choisit un livre à la librairie chaque matin.” — “He chooses a book at the bookshop.”
  • “Nous choisissons un livre à la librairie le week-end.” — “We choose a book at the bookshop.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai choisi un livre à la librairie hier.” — “I have chosen a book at the bookshop.”
  • “Tu as choisi un livre à la librairie ce matin.” — “You have chosen a book at the bookshop.”
  • “Il a choisi un livre à la librairie la semaine dernière.” — “He has chosen a book at the bookshop.”

In the imperfect and the future

  • “Je choisissais un livre à la librairie quand j’étais jeune.” — “When I was young, I used to choose a book at the bookshop.”
  • “Nous choisissions un livre à la librairie quand j’étais jeune.” — “We used to choose a book at the bookshop.”
  • “Tu choisiras un livre à la librairie demain.” — “You will choose a book at the bookshop tomorrow.”
  • “Ils choisiront un livre à la librairie demain.” — “They will choose a book at the bookshop tomorrow.”

In other tenses

  • “Je choisirais un livre à la librairie si je pouvais.” — “I would choose a book at the bookshop if I could.”
  • “Il faut que je choisisse un livre à la librairie.” — “It is important that I choose a book at the bookshop.”
  • “Choisis un livre à la librairie !” — “Choose a book at the bookshop!” The same verb in the pluperfect: “J'avais choisi un livre à la librairie avant la fête.” — “I had chosen a book at the bookshop before the party.”

All forms above come from the verified tables. The gerund is en choisissant and the past participle is choisi; the perfect tenses use avoir + choisi, as in ai choisi.

Choisir in context

Dialogue 1: every day

Marie and Paul talk about what they do every day. Notice how choisir changes with the person, and how the passé composé appears when they talk about yesterday.

Marie: “Tu choisis un livre à la librairie tous les jours ?” — “You choose a book at the bookshop.” Paul: “Je choisis un livre à la librairie tous les jours.” — “I choose a book at the bookshop.” Marie: “Tu as choisi un livre à la librairie hier ?” — “You have chosen a book at the bookshop.” Paul: “J'ai choisi un livre à la librairie hier.” — “I have chosen a book at the bookshop.” Marie: “Nous choisirons un livre à la librairie demain ?” — “We will choose a book at the bookshop tomorrow.” Paul: “Nous choisirons un livre à la librairie demain.” — “We will choose a book at the bookshop tomorrow.”

Dialogue 2: making plans

Paul and Marie make plans for the weekend. The conditional appears for polite suggestions, and the imperative for a direct request.

Paul: “Je choisirais un livre à la librairie si je pouvais.” — “I would choose a book at the bookshop if I could.” Marie: “Tu choisis un livre à la librairie souvent ?” — “You choose a book at the bookshop.” Paul: “Je choisis un livre à la librairie souvent.” — “I choose a book at the bookshop.” Marie: “Choisis un livre à la librairie !” — “Choose a book at the bookshop!” Paul: “Il faut que je choisisse un livre à la librairie.” — “It is important that I choose a book at the bookshop.” Marie: “Nous avons choisi un livre à la librairie hier.” — “We have chosen a book at the bookshop.”

Read both dialogues aloud, changing the person each time: choisis becomes choisis, choisis becomes choisit, and so on. That is the fastest way to fix the six present forms — choisis*, choisis, choisit, choisissons, choisissez, *choisissent — in memory.

Common mistakes with choisir

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

Wrong: “Je choisir un livre à la librairie.”

Right: “Je choisis un livre à la librairie.”

The infinitive choisir never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form choisis.

Mistake 2: Confusing choisir with décider

Wrong: “Je choisis de partir demain.” (meant as “décider”)

Right: “Je choisis un livre à la librairie.”

choisir means “to choose” and décider means “to decide”. They appear in similar situations, but they are different actions — check the meaning before you choose the verb.

Mistake 3: Using être for the passé composé

Wrong: “Je suis choisi un livre à la librairie.”

Right: “J'ai choisi un livre à la librairie.”

With choisir the passé composé is formed with avoir: ai choisi.

Mistake 4: Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger

Wrong: “Il faut que je choisis un livre à la librairie.”

Right: “Il faut que je choisisse un livre à la librairie.”

After il faut que French needs the subjunctive: choisisse, not the indicative choisis.

Mistake 5: Mixing up the persons

Wrong: “Tu choisis un livre à la librairie.”

Right: “Tu choisis un livre à la librairie.”

After tu you need choisis, not the je form choisis.

Quiz: choisir in everyday use

  1. What is the je form of choisir in the Present indicative?

    • A) choisissez
    • B) choisissent
    • C) choisit
    • D) choisis

  2. What is the ils/elles form of choisir in the Present indicative?

    • A) choisissent
    • B) choisissons
    • C) choisis
    • D) choisissez

  3. What is the tu form of choisir in the Present perfect (passé composé)?

    • A) avez choisi
    • B) as choisi
    • C) ont choisi
    • D) ai choisi

  4. What is the nous form of choisir in the Imperfect?

    • A) choisissions
    • B) choisissiez
    • C) choisissais
    • D) choisissaient

  5. What is the il/elle form of choisir in the Future?

    • A) choisirez
    • B) choisirons
    • C) choisiras
    • D) choisira

  6. What is the je form of choisir in the Conditional?

    • A) choisiriez
    • B) choisirions
    • C) choisirais
    • D) choisiraient

  7. What is the tu form of choisir in the Present subjunctive?

    • A) choisissent
    • B) choisissions
    • C) choisissiez
    • D) choisisses

  8. What is the tu form of choisir in the Imperative (affirmative)?

    • A) choisissons
    • B) choisis
    • C) choisissez
    • D) avais choisi

  9. What is the past participle of choisir?

    • A) choisi
    • B) choisis
    • C) choisissais
    • D) en choisissant

  10. What does choisir mean in English?

  • A) to have
  • B) to be
  • C) to choose
  • D) to go

Answer key

  1. D) choisis — the je form of choisir in the present indicative is choisis.
  2. A) choisissent — the ils/elles form of choisir in the present indicative is choisissent.
  3. B) as choisi — the tu form of choisir in the present perfect (passé composé) is as choisi.
  4. A) choisissions — the nous form of choisir in the imperfect is choisissions.
  5. D) choisira — the il/elle form of choisir in the future is choisira.
  6. C) choisirais — the je form of choisir in the conditional is choisirais.
  7. D) choisisses — the tu form of choisir in the present subjunctive is choisisses.
  8. B) choisis — the tu form of choisir in the imperative (affirmative) is choisis.
  9. A) choisi — the past participle of choisir is choisi; perfect tenses use avoir + choisi.
  10. C) to choose — choisir means “to choose” in English.

Frequently asked questions

What does choisir mean in English?

choisir means “to choose”. You use it in everyday situations like the examples on this page — for example, “Je choisis un livre à la librairie.” (“I choose a book at the bookshop.”).

Which auxiliary does choisir take in the passé composé?

choisir takes avoir: ai choisi. Because the auxiliary is avoir, the participle normally stays invariable.

What is the hardest form of choisir to remember?

Most learners struggle with keeping the six persons apart — choisis*, choisis, choisit, choisissons, choisissez, *choisissent. Say them in order every day, and use the dialogues above to practise them in real sentences.

Where can I see the full conjugation of choisir?

On the full conjugation page for choisir, which has every tense, and on the choisir present page, which goes deep on one tense.

Say it yourself

Cover the French sentences above and translate the English back into French. Start with the present tense: “I choose a book at the bookshop.” should become “Je choisis un livre à la librairie”. Then try the passé composé: “I have chosen a book at the bookshop.” should become “J'ai choisi un livre à la librairie”. Finally, try the future: “I will choose a book at the bookshop tomorrow.” should become “Je choisirai un livre à la librairie”. If you get a form wrong, check it against the full conjugation page and say the correct form aloud three times before moving on.

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