Elegir Conjugation in Spanish
elegir means "to choose, to elect" in English, and it is one of the Spanish verbs you will use again and again in everyday conversation. It is used for picking one thing from several options — a restaurant, a film, a job, a gift or a candidate in an election, which makes it a practical verb to learn early and to use confidently. This page gives you the complete conjugation of elegir in every tense and mood — present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, the four perfect tenses, both subjunctive tenses and the imperative — with all six persons, plus the gerund and the past participle. Every form below comes from VerbFlow's verified conjugation tables, so you can trust the accents and the irregular forms. Elegir is a stem-changing (e → i) -ir verb verb, and the notes under each tense explain exactly where it follows the rules and where it breaks them. To hear it in a real sentence: Yo elijo el restaurante cada viernes. — "I choose the restaurant every Friday.". Work through the tables, read the notes, then test yourself with the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: elegir
- English: to choose, to elect
- Verb type: Stem-changing (e → i) -ir verb
- Gerund: eligiendo
- Past participle: elegido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all compound tenses use haber + elegido)
- Stem change: e → i in the present, the present subjunctive and related forms (see the notes below).
Full conjugation table
Every tense of elegir with all six persons. The gerund is eligiendo and the past participle is elegido.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | elijo |
| tú | eliges |
| él/ella/Ud. | elige |
| nosotros/as | elegimos |
| vosotros/as | elegís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | eligen |
Preterite (past)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | elegí |
| tú | elegiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | eligió |
| nosotros/as | elegimos |
| vosotros/as | elegisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | eligieron |
Imperfect (past)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | elegía |
| tú | elegías |
| él/ella/Ud. | elegía |
| nosotros/as | elegíamos |
| vosotros/as | elegíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | elegían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | elegiré |
| tú | elegirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | elegirá |
| nosotros/as | elegiremos |
| vosotros/as | elegiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | elegirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | elegiría |
| tú | elegirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | elegiría |
| nosotros/as | elegiríamos |
| vosotros/as | elegiríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | elegirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he elegido |
| tú | has elegido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha elegido |
| nosotros/as | hemos elegido |
| vosotros/as | habéis elegido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han elegido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había elegido |
| tú | habías elegido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había elegido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos elegido |
| vosotros/as | habíais elegido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían elegido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré elegido |
| tú | habrás elegido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá elegido |
| nosotros/as | habremos elegido |
| vosotros/as | habréis elegido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán elegido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría elegido |
| tú | habrías elegido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría elegido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos elegido |
| vosotros/as | habríais elegido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían elegido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | elija |
| tú | elijas |
| él/ella/Ud. | elija |
| nosotros/as | elijamos |
| vosotros/as | eligáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | elijan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | eligiera |
| tú | eligieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | eligiera |
| nosotros/as | eligiéramos |
| vosotros/as | eligierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | eligieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | elige |
| él/ella/Ud. | elija |
| nosotros/as | elijamos |
| vosotros/as | elegid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | elijan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | elijas |
| él/ella/Ud. | elija |
| nosotros/as | elijamos |
| vosotros/as | eligáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | elijan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Gerund | eligiendo |
| Past participle | elegido |
How to use each tense
Each tense below explains when to use it with elegir, with one example sentence. The example forms are taken from the tables above.
Present indicative
The present tense talks about what happens now, habits, routines and general truths. It is the first tense every learner needs, because it covers daily life: what you do, what you like, where you live. For most verbs the present is also the base for the present subjunctive, so learning it well pays off twice.
elegir is irregular in this tense, so memorise the forms in the table above instead of applying the regular endings.
Example: Yo elijo el restaurante.
Preterite (past)
The preterite talks about finished actions in the past — things that started and ended at a specific moment. Use it for events, for what happened yesterday, last year, or at a particular time. It answers the question "what happened?" and it is the tense of stories told as a sequence of events.
elegir is irregular in this tense, so memorise the forms in the table above instead of applying the regular endings.
Example: Ayer yo elegí el restaurante.
Imperfect (past)
The imperfect talks about the past as background: habits, repeated actions, descriptions, and things that were in progress when something else happened. Use it for "used to", for setting a scene, and for age, time and weather in the past. It answers "what was going on?" rather than "what happened?".
This tense is regular for this verb — the endings follow the standard pattern for its verb class.
Example: En aquella época, yo elegía el restaurante.
Future
The future tense talks about what will happen: plans, predictions and promises. In everyday speech Spanish speakers often use "ir a + infinitive" instead, but the future tense is essential for formal writing, for promises, and for guessing about the present ("¿Dónde estará?").
This tense is regular for this verb — the endings follow the standard pattern for its verb class.
Example: Mañana yo elegiré el restaurante.
Conditional
The conditional talks about what would happen: hypothetical situations, polite requests, and advice. It pairs with the imperfect subjunctive in "if" sentences ("Si pudiera, lo haría"). It is also the polite way to ask for things and to soften opinions.
This tense is regular for this verb — the endings follow the standard pattern for its verb class.
Example: Yo elegiría el restaurante si pudiera.
Present perfect
The present perfect (haber + past participle) talks about the recent past and about experience: what you have done, what has just happened, what you have never tried. It connects the past to the present moment, so it often appears with "hoy", "esta semana", "ya" and "todavía no".
This tense is regular for this verb — the endings follow the standard pattern for its verb class.
Example: Yo ya he elegido el restaurante.
Pluperfect
The pluperfect (había + past participle) talks about the past before the past: what had already happened when something else happened. Use it to order two past events — the pluperfect one comes first in time. It appears constantly in stories and explanations.
This tense is regular for this verb — the endings follow the standard pattern for its verb class.
Example: Yo ya había elegido el restaurante antes.
Future perfect
The future perfect (habré + past participle) talks about something that will already be finished by a future moment: "Para mañana ya habré terminado". It is also used to guess about the past: "¿Dónde habrá ido?". It is less common in speech but regular in writing.
This tense is regular for this verb — the endings follow the standard pattern for its verb class.
Example: Para mañana yo ya habré elegido el restaurante.
Conditional perfect
The conditional perfect (habría + past participle) talks about what would have happened: the past of the conditional. It appears in "if" sentences about a past that did not happen ("Si hubiera sabido, habría venido") and in polite regrets and reproaches.
This tense is regular for this verb — the endings follow the standard pattern for its verb class.
Example: Yo habría elegido el restaurante si hubiera podido.
Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive is the mood of wishes, doubts, emotions and influence: what you want, hope, doubt or demand. It appears after "quiero que", "espero que", "es posible que", "ojalá" and after verbs of emotion and doubt. It never stands alone — a trigger in the main clause calls for it.
elegir is irregular in this tense, so memorise the forms in the table above instead of applying the regular endings.
Example: Espero que él elija el restaurante.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
The imperfect subjunctive is the past of the subjunctive: it follows past-tense triggers ("Quería que vinieras") and it is the tense of "if" clauses about unlikely or impossible situations ("Si tuviera dinero, viajaría"). The -ra forms shown here are the standard ones; -se forms exist too but -ra is far more common in speech.
elegir is irregular in this tense, so memorise the forms in the table above instead of applying the regular endings.
Example: Si él eligiera el restaurante, sería perfecto.
Imperative (affirmative)
Affirmative commands tell someone to do something: "¡Ven aquí!", "¡Siéntate!". The tú and vosotros forms are the ones you will use most, and they are also the ones that break the regular pattern most often — the tú affirmative command comes from the él/ella present form, not from the infinitive.
elegir is irregular in this tense, so memorise the forms in the table above instead of applying the regular endings.
Example: ¡Elige el restaurante!
Imperative (negative)
Negative commands tell someone not to do something: "¡No hables!", "¡No te vayas!". Unlike affirmative commands, negative commands always use the subjunctive forms, for every person. If you know the present subjunctive, you already know the negative imperative.
elegir is irregular in this tense, so memorise the forms in the table above instead of applying the regular endings.
Example: No elijas el restaurante.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with elegir, covering different tenses and persons. Read the Spanish first, then check the English.
- Yo elijo el restaurante cada viernes. — "I choose the restaurant every Friday."
- ¿Tú eliges el menú o lo elijo yo? — "Do you choose the menu, or do I choose it?"
- Ayer eligió el vestido azul para la fiesta. — "Yesterday she chose the blue dress for the party."
- Nosotros elegiremos un destino nuevo para las vacaciones. — "We will choose a new destination for the holidays."
- Si yo pudiera, elegiría la casa con jardín. — "If I could, I would choose the house with a garden."
- Ella ya ha elegido su carrera universitaria. — "She has already chosen her university degree."
- Espero que elija bien esta vez. — "I hope he chooses well this time."
- ¡elige el que más te guste! — "Choose the one you like best!"
Common mistakes
The errors learners actually make with elegir — and how to fix them.
- Wrong: *Yo elego el restaurante. → Right: Yo elijo el restaurante.. Elegir changes g to j before o and a, so the yo form is elijo, never elego. The same change appears in the subjunctive: elija, elijas.
- Wrong: *Ellos elegen el restaurante. → Right: Ellos eligen el restaurante.. In the present, the stem vowel e becomes i in all forms except nosotros and vosotros: eligen, not elegen.
- Wrong: *Yo elegí el restaurante ayer — learners often write elegi without the accent. → Right: Yo elegí el restaurante ayer.. The preterite yo form carries an accent: elegí. Without it the word is misspelled, and the accent marks the stress.
- Wrong: *Espero que tú eleges bien. → Right: Espero que tú elijas bien.. After espero que, use the subjunctive elijas, not the present indicative eliges. The g-to-j change applies here too.
- Wrong: *Estoy elegiendo el restaurante ahora mismo — learners sometimes write elegendo. → Right: Estoy eligiendo el restaurante ahora mismo.. The gerund is eligiendo, with the same e-to-i stem change as the preterite third person.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on elegir. Answers are at the end, with a short explanation for each.
What is the yo form of elegir in the present indicative?
- a) elige
- b) eliges
- c) elijo
- d) elegimos
What is the él/ella/Ud. form of elegir in the preterite (past)?
- a) eligió
- b) elegí
- c) elegiste
- d) elegimos
What is the nosotros/as form of elegir in the imperfect (past)?
- a) elegía
- b) elegía
- c) elegíamos
- d) elegías
What is the tú form of elegir in the future?
- a) elegiré
- b) elegirás
- c) elegirá
- d) elegiremos
What is the ellos/ellas/Uds. form of elegir in the conditional?
- a) elegiría
- b) elegirías
- c) elegiría
- d) elegirían
What is the yo form of elegir in the present subjunctive?
- a) elija
- b) elija
- c) elijas
- d) elijamos
What is the gerund of elegir?
- a) eligiendo
- b) elegir
- c) elegido
- d) elige
What is the past participle of elegir?
- a) eligiendo
- b) he elegido
- c) elegido
- d) elijo
What does elegir mean in English?
- a) to play (an instrument), to touch
- b) to create
- c) to get angry
- d) to choose, to elect
The form elegí belongs to which tense?
- a) Preterite
- b) Imperfect
- c) Future
- d) Present
Answer key
- elijo — The yo form in the present indicative is elijo — the other options are the same tense but different persons.
- eligió — The él/ella/Ud. form in the preterite (past) is eligió — the other options are the same tense but different persons.
- elegíamos — The nosotros/as form in the imperfect (past) is elegíamos — the other options are the same tense but different persons.
- elegirás — The tú form in the future is elegirás — the other options are the same tense but different persons.
- elegirían — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form in the conditional is elegirían — the other options are the same tense but different persons.
- elija — The yo form in the present subjunctive is elija — the other options are the same tense but different persons.
- eligiendo — The gerund is eligiendo — it is the form used with estar for the progressive (estoy eligiendo). The past participle is elegido.
- elegido — The past participle is elegido — it is the form used after haber in the perfect tenses (he elegido).
- to choose, to elect — elegir means "to choose, to elect".
- Preterite — elegí is the yo form of the preterite of elegir — a finished past action. The imperfect yo form is elegía.
Frequently asked questions
Is elegir a regular verb?
No. Elegir is a stem-changing verb (e → i) and it also changes g to j before o and a. You see both changes in the present (elijo, eliges, elige, eligen), the subjunctive (elija) and the preterite third person (eligió, eligieron). The nosotros and vosotros forms — elegimos, elegís — keep the regular stem.
What is the difference between elegir and escoger?
They are close synonyms and both mean to choose, but elegir is far more common in everyday Spanish and is also the verb used for elections (elegir un presidente). Escoger sounds slightly more formal or literary in many regions. When in doubt, use elegir.
How do you say "choose" as a command with elegir?
To one person informally, say ¡Elige! — that is the elige form. Formally, say ¡Elija!, and to a group, ¡Elijan!. For a negative command, use the subjunctive: No elijas.
What is the past participle of elegir?
It is elegido, a regular participle. The present perfect is he elegido, has elegido, ha elegido — for example: Ya he elegido el restaurante para esta noche.
Related pages
- Elegir in the present tense — the present tense of elegir in depth, with its own examples and quiz.
- Elegir examples and quiz — more everyday sentences with elegir and a second quiz.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub: every verb, every tense guide and every tool in one place.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where elegir sits among the irregular verbs, grouped by pattern.
- Decidir conjugation — another verb in the same family as elegir.
- Preferir conjugation — another verb in the same family as elegir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — practise elegir with this tool.
- Stem Change Finder — practise elegir with this tool.
- Present tense guide — how the present tense works for regular and irregular verbs.