Introduction
Decidir means “to decide”, and it is one of the verbs you will use every day in Spanish. Decidir is the verb for deciding something: a date, a plan, a destination. The thing decided is the direct object, with no preposition. Decidir + infinitive means to decide to do something. The infinitive follows directly, with no preposition. This page shows decidir in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Yo decido la fecha.” — I decide the date.
Decidir in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how decidir is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use decidir in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Yo decido la fecha.” — I decide the date.
“¿Tú decides viajar?” — Do you decide to travel?
“Mi padre decide el destino.” — My father decides the destination.
“Nosotros decidimos entre dos hoteles.” — We decide between two hotels.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show decidir in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer yo decidí la fecha.” — Yesterday I decided the date. (preterite)
“Mi padre decidía el destino siempre.” — My father always used to decide the destination. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of decidir stays the same.
“Nosotros decidiremos entre dos hoteles mañana.” — We will decide between two hotels tomorrow. (future)
“¿Tú has decidido ya?” — Have you decided yet? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros decidís rápido.” — You decide quickly.
“Ellos deciden no ir.” — They decide not to go.
“Yo decido por ti.” — I decide for you.
“El jefe decide el presupuesto.” — The boss decides the budget.
Decidir in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how decidir appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Sara: “¿Tú decides viajar?” — Do you decide to travel?
Diego: “Sí, yo decido la fecha.” — Yes, I decide the date.
Sara: “Nosotros decidimos entre dos hoteles.” — We decide between two hotels.
Diego: “Y ellos deciden no ir.” — And they decide not to go.
Sara: “Vosotros decidís rápido.” — You decide quickly.
Diego: “Sí, y mi padre decide el destino.” — Yes, and my father decides the destination.
A short paragraph
Sara decide la fecha, y su padre decide el destino. Nosotros decidimos entre dos hoteles, y ellos deciden no ir. Yo decido por ti, y el jefe decide el presupuesto. Decidir is part of every plan, because deciding a date, deciding to travel and deciding between two hotels are all part of the same verb.
Common mistakes with decidir
These are the errors learners actually make with decidir. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo decido a viajar.” Right: “Yo decido viajar.” Why: Decidir takes an infinitive directly, with no preposition: decido viajar, not decido a viajar. The a belongs to verbs such as comenzar a and aprender a, not to decidir.
Wrong: “Ellos decide no ir.” Right: “Ellos deciden no ir.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form deciden. The singular decide belongs with él, ella or a singular noun such as el jefe.
Wrong: “Yo decido la fecha ayer.” Right: “Ayer yo decidí la fecha.” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished decision yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to decidí.
Wrong: “Nosotros decides rápido.” Right: “Nosotros decidimos rápido.” Why: Nosotros needs decidimos. The tú form decides belongs with tú.
Wrong: “Ellos decido todos los días.” Right: “Ellos deciden todos los días.” Why: The verb must agree with its subject. Ellos needs the ellos form deciden, not the yo form decido. This is the most common agreement slip in the present tense, and it happens because learners memorise the yo form first and then reuse it for every person.
Quiz: decidir in use
Ten questions on decidir in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ rápido.” (You decide quickly.)
- (a) decides
- (b) decidís
- (c) decido
Answer: decidís — The vosotros/as form of decidir in the present tense is decidís.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ no ir.” (They decide not to go.)
- (a) deciden
- (b) decido
- (c) decides
Answer: deciden — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of decidir in the present tense is deciden.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ la fecha.” (Yesterday I decided the date.)
- (a) decidiste
- (b) decidió
- (c) decidí
Answer: decidí — In the preterite, the yo form of decidir is decidí.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Mi padre ______ el destino siempre.” (My father always used to decide the destination.)
- (a) decidías
- (b) decidía
- (c) decidía
Answer: decidía — In the imperfect, the él/ella/Ud. form of decidir is decidía.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Nosotros ______ entre dos hoteles mañana.” (We will decide between two hotels tomorrow.)
- (a) decidiremos
- (b) decidiré
- (c) decidirás
Answer: decidiremos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of decidir is decidiremos.
6. What does decidir mean in English?
- (a) to finish, to end
- (b) to serve
- (c) to decide
Answer: to decide — Decidir means “to decide”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo decido viajar.
- (b) Yo decido a viajar.
- (c) Ellos decide no ir.
Answer: Yo decido viajar. — “Yo decido viajar.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I decide for you.” in Spanish?
- (a) Yo deciden por ti.
- (b) Yo decido por ti.
- (c) El jefe decide el presupuesto.
Answer: Yo decido por ti. — “Yo decido por ti.” is the correct translation. The second option means something different, and the third uses the wrong person's form.
9. What is the nosotros form of decidir in the present tense?
- (a) decido
- (b) decides
- (c) decidimos
Answer: decidimos — The nosotros form is decidimos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Ayer yo decidí la fecha.
- (b) Nosotros decidiremos entre dos hoteles mañana.
- (c) Yo decido la fecha.
Answer: Yo decido la fecha. — “Yo decido la fecha.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I decide the date' in Spanish?
Say 'Decido la fecha'. The date follows directly with no preposition. For a routine: 'Decido la fecha cada mes'.
How do you say 'to decide between two hotels' in Spanish?
Say 'decidir entre dos hoteles'. In the present: 'Nosotros decidimos entre dos hoteles'. Entre marks the set you decide from.
Can decidir be used with por?
Yes. Decidir por + person means to decide for someone, on their behalf: 'Yo decido por ti' means I decide for you. It is how you describe deciding in someone else's place.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of decidir — every tense of decidir in one place.
- Decidir in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on decidir and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of decidir until they are automatic.