Introduction
Decidir means “to decide”, and this page covers exactly one thing: decidir in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly, what is true in general, and what is happening right now. On this page you will find the full present table for decidir, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about decidir in the present. Decidir is the verb for deciding something: a date, a plan, a destination. The thing decided is the direct object, with no preposition. For example: “Yo decido la fecha.” — I decide the date. Everything on this page uses the forms of decidir exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.
Decidir in the Present Tense — full table
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | decido |
| tú | decides |
| él/ella/Ud. | decide |
| nosotros/as | decidimos |
| vosotros/as | decidís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | deciden |
Gerund: decidiendo · Past participle: decidido
The gerund is decidiendo, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy decidiendo” means the action of decidir is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is decidido, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he decidido” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how decidir is used.
How the present of decidir is formed
Decidir is a regular -ir verb, so the present follows the standard pattern with no surprises. Take the stem decid (the infinitive without its -ir ending) and add the present endings: -o for yo, -as or -es for tú, -a or -e for él/ella/Ud., -amos / -emos / -imos for nosotros, -ís for vosotros, and -an or -en for ellos/ellas/Uds.. That gives you decido, decides, decide, decidimos, decidís and deciden. Because the verb is regular, once you know the stem and the six endings you can produce every form without memorising a list, and the same pattern works for every other regular -ir verb you learn.
When to use the present of decidir
The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use decidir in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.
1. Deciding something
Decidir is the verb for deciding something: a date, a plan, a destination. The thing decided is the direct object, with no preposition. Example: “Yo decido la fecha.” — I decide the date.
2. Deciding to do something
Decidir + infinitive means to decide to do something. The infinitive follows directly, with no preposition. Example: “¿Tú decides viajar?” — Do you decide to travel?
3. Deciding between options
Decidir entre + options means to decide between things. The entre marks the set you decide from. Example: “Nosotros decidimos entre dos hoteles.” — We decide between two hotels.
4. Habits and routines
The present tense is the tense of routine. When something happens every day, every week or every morning, the present is the natural choice, and decidir is no exception. Use time expressions such as todos los días, siempre or cada semana to make the routine explicit. Example: “Yo decido la fecha.” — I decide the date.
5. What is happening right now
The present also describes an action in progress at this very moment. Spanish often prefers the simple present where English would use the continuous form, so a sentence with decidir in the present can mean both “I do this” and “I am doing this now”. Context tells the listener which one you mean. Example: “Nosotros decidimos entre dos hoteles.” — We decide between two hotels.
Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose
The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the present describes habits, general truths and what is happening now, while the preterite describes one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is the time frame — and with it, the tense. Notice how the present sentences use words such as todos los días or siempre, while the preterite sentences use ayer or la semana pasada. Those time words are your best clue when you are choosing a tense.
Present Tense: “Yo decido la fecha todos los meses.” — I decide the date every month.
Preterite: “Ayer yo decidí la fecha.” — Yesterday I decided the date.
Todos los meses describes a routine, so the present is right; ayer names one finished day, so the preterite is right.
Present Tense: “Mi padre decide el destino siempre.” — My father always decides the destination.
Preterite: “Mi padre decidió el destino ayer.” — My father decided the destination yesterday.
Siempre signals repetition, so the present fits; ayer names one finished day, so the preterite fits.
Present Tense: “Yo decido la fecha.” — I decide the date.
Preterite: “Ayer, yo decidí la fecha.” — the same action, but finished yesterday instead of repeated as a habit.
The present sentence is true every day; the preterite sentence is true once, yesterday. That difference — routine versus one finished event — is the whole decision.
Example sentences: decidir in the present
Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.
“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.
“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.
Common mistakes with decidir in the present
These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. 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.
Quiz: decidir in the present
Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.
1. Complete the sentence: “Yo ______ la fecha.” (I decide the date.)
- (a) decides
- (b) decide
- (c) decido
Answer: decido — The yo form of decidir in the present is decido. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
2. Complete the sentence: “¿Tú ______ viajar?” (Do you decide to travel?)
- (a) decide
- (b) decides
- (c) decido
Answer: decides — The tú form of decidir in the present is decides. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
3. Complete the sentence: “Mi padre ______ el destino.” (My father decides the destination.)
- (a) decide
- (b) decido
- (c) decides
Answer: decide — The él/ella/Ud. form of decidir in the present is decide. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ______ entre dos hoteles.” (We decide between two hotels.)
- (a) decido
- (b) decides
- (c) decidimos
Answer: decidimos — The nosotros/as form of decidir in the present is decidimos. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
5. What is the vosotros/as form of decidir in the present?
- (a) decides
- (b) decidís
- (c) decido
Answer: decidís — From the table above: vosotros/as takes decidís. Say it with the example sentence “Vosotros decidís rápido.” to fix it in your memory.
6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ no ir.” (They decide not to go.)
- (a) decido
- (b) decides
- (c) deciden
Answer: deciden — The subject needs the ellos/ellas/Uds. form, which is deciden.
7. Which is the correct yo form of decidir in the present?
- (a) decido
- (b) decide
- (c) deciden
Answer: decido — The yo form is decido. The other two options are the él/ella and ellos/ellas forms.
8. Which sentence describes a habit, something that happens regularly?
- (a) Yo decido la fecha todos los meses.
- (b) Ayer yo decidí la fecha.
- (c) Ayer yo decidí la fecha.
Answer: Yo decido la fecha todos los meses. — “Yo decido la fecha todos los meses.” describes something repeated, so it takes the present tense. The other two sentences describe single finished occasions in the past, not habits.
Frequently asked questions
Is decidir regular in the present tense?
Yes. Decidir is a regular -ir verb: the stem is decid- and the present endings are -o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís and -en. There are no stem changes, so the whole table follows the standard pattern.
Does decidir take a preposition before an infinitive?
No. Decidir + infinitive has no preposition: 'Decido viajar', 'Decido no ir'. Before a set of options, use entre: 'Decidimos entre dos hoteles'.
What is the difference between decidir and elegir?
Decidir means to decide, to make a decision, while elegir means to choose, to pick one thing from a set. You decide to travel (decidir viajar) and you choose a hotel (elegir un hotel). The decision is the act; the choice is the thing picked.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of decidir — every tense of decidir in one place.
- Decidir examples and quiz — more sentences with decidir and a ten-question quiz.
- Spanish present guide — how the present works for all Spanish verbs.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Present tense conjugator — conjugate any verb in the present instantly.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on decidir and other verbs.