Decidir Conjugation in Portuguese
decidir means “to decide” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 167 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to decide, and it is completely regular: decido, decides, decide, decidimos, decidis, decidem. Its pretérito perfeito is decidi, decidiste, decidiu, and its participle is decidido. It can take an infinitive after it — decido ficar — or a noun. This page gives you the complete conjugation of decidir — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Eu decido ficar todos os dias.” — “I decide to stay.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: decidir
- English: to decide
- Verb type: Regular -ir verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: decidindo
- Present participle: decidente
- Past participle: decidido
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -ir verbs; pattern ir in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for decidir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read decidir in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about decidir
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -ir pattern, so once you know the stem you can build the whole table. The only work is learning the endings, not memorising exceptions.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle decidido. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The gerund is decidindo, the present participle is decidente and the past participle is decidido: keep all three in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions, the present participle appears as an adjective, and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. If you know those three forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for decidir. Learn the present tense first, then the pretérito perfeito and the pretérito imperfeito, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | decido |
| tu | decides |
| ele/ela | decide |
| nós | decidimos |
| vós | decidis |
| eles/elas | decidem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu decido ficar todos os dias.” — “I decide to stay”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | decidi |
| tu | decidiste |
| ele/ela | decidiu |
| nós | decidimos |
| vós | decidistes |
| eles/elas | decidiram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu decidi ficar ontem.” — “I decided to stay”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | decidia |
| tu | decidias |
| ele/ela | decidia |
| nós | decidíamos |
| vós | decidíeis |
| eles/elas | decidiam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu decidia ficar antigamente.” — “I used to decide to stay”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | decidira |
| tu | decidiras |
| ele/ela | decidira |
| nós | decidíramos |
| vós | decidíreis |
| eles/elas | decidiram |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples is used for an action completed before another past action; in everyday speech the compound form with tinha is more common. For example: “Eu decidira ficar antes do jantar.” — “I had decided to stay”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | decidirei |
| tu | decidirás |
| ele/ela | decidirá |
| nós | decidiremos |
| vós | decidireis |
| eles/elas | decidirão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu decidirei ficar amanhã.” — “I will decide to stay”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | decidiria |
| tu | decidirias |
| ele/ela | decidiria |
| nós | decidiríamos |
| vós | decidiríeis |
| eles/elas | decidiriam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu decidiria ficar um dia.” — “I would decide to stay”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho decidido |
| tu | tens decidido |
| ele/ela | tem decidido |
| nós | temos decidido |
| vós | tendes decidido |
| eles/elas | têm decidido |
The pretérito perfeito composto is used for actions that started in the past and continue, or have been repeated, up to the present. For example: “Ele tem decidido ficar esta semana.” — “He has decided to stay”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha decidido |
| tu | tinhas decidido |
| ele/ela | tinha decidido |
| nós | tínhamos decidido |
| vós | tínheis decidido |
| eles/elas | tinham decidido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha decidido ficar antes do jantar.” — “I had decided to stay”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei decidido |
| tu | terás decidido |
| ele/ela | terá decidido |
| nós | teremos decidido |
| vós | tereis decidido |
| eles/elas | terão decidido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei decidido ficar até amanhã.” — “I will have decided to stay”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria decidido |
| tu | terias decidido |
| ele/ela | teria decidido |
| nós | teríamos decidido |
| vós | teríeis decidido |
| eles/elas | teriam decidido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria decidido ficar ontem.” — “I would have decided to stay”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | decida |
| tu | decidas |
| ele/ela | decida |
| nós | decidamos |
| vós | decidais |
| eles/elas | decidam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu decida ficar.” — “It is important that I decide to stay”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | decidisse |
| tu | decidisses |
| ele/ela | decidisse |
| nós | decidíssemos |
| vós | decidísseis |
| eles/elas | decidissem |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after que, and in se-clauses. For example: “Era importante que eu decidisse ficar.” — “It was important that I decide to stay”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | decidir |
| tu | decidires |
| ele/ela | decidir |
| nós | decidirmos |
| vós | decidirdes |
| eles/elas | decidirem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu decidir ficar, é bom.” — “If I decide to stay, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | decide |
| ele/ela | decida |
| nós | decidamos |
| vós | decidi |
| eles/elas | decidam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Decide ficar!” — “Decide to stay!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não decidas |
| ele/ela | não decida |
| nós | não decidamos |
| vós | não decidais |
| eles/elas | não decidam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não decidas ficar.” — “Do not decide to stay.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha decidido |
| tu | tenhas decidido |
| ele/ela | tenha decidido |
| nós | tenhamos decidido |
| vós | tenhais decidido |
| eles/elas | tenham decidido |
The presente do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a subordinate clause expressing doubt, wish or emotion. For example: “É importante que eu tenha decidido ficar.” — “It is important that I have decided to stay”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse decidido |
| tu | tivesses decidido |
| ele/ela | tivesse decidido |
| nós | tivéssemos decidido |
| vós | tivésseis decidido |
| eles/elas | tivessem decidido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse decidido ficar.” — “It was important that I had decided to stay”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver decidido |
| tu | tiveres decidido |
| ele/ela | tiver decidido |
| nós | tivermos decidido |
| vós | tiverdes decidido |
| eles/elas | tiverem decidido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver decidido ficar, é bom.” — “If I have decided to stay, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | decidindo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Decidindo ficar, aprendo muito.” — “While deciding to stay, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | decidente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle decidente is used to describe something that is happening at the same time as the main action, much like an English -ing adjective. You will meet decidente more often as an adjective or a noun than as a verb form, so learn it as a word in its own right.
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | decidido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho decidido ficar esta semana.” — “I have decided to stay.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with decidir, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu decido ficar todos os dias.” — “I decide to stay”
- “Tu decidiste ficar ontem.” — “You decided to stay”
- “Ele decidia ficar antigamente.” — “He used to decide to stay”
- “Eu decidirei ficar amanhã.” — “I will decide to stay”
- “Tu decidirias ficar um dia.” — “You would decide to stay”
- “Ele tem decidido ficar esta semana.” — “He has decided to stay”
- “Eu tinha decidido ficar antes do jantar.” — “I had decided to stay”
- “Tu terás decidido ficar até amanhã.” — “You will have decided to stay”
- “É importante que eu decida ficar.” — “It is important that I decide to stay”
- “Decide ficar!” — “Decide to stay!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu decidir ficar.”
✓ Right: “Eu decido ficar todos os dias.”
The infinitive decidir never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form decido.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu decides ficar.”
✓ Right: “Eu decido ficar todos os dias.”
decides is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with decido.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu decido ficar ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu decidi ficar ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito decidi for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou decidido ficar.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho decidido ficar esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of decidir is formed with ter plus the past participle decidido: the eu form is tenho decidido. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “É importante que eu decido ficar.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu decida ficar.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use decida here, not the indicative decido.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho decidindo ficar.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho decidido ficar esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle decidido, not the gerund decidindo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on decidir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of decidir in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) decides
- B) decido
- C) decide
- D) decidimos
What is the ele/ela form of decidir in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) decidi
- B) decidiste
- C) decidiu
- D) decidimos
What is the nós form of decidir in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) decidia
- B) decidias
- C) decidíeis
- D) decidíamos
What is the tu form of decidir in the Futuro do presente?
- A) decidirás
- B) decidirei
- C) decidirá
- D) decidiremos
What is the eu form of decidir in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) decidirias
- B) decidiria
- C) decidiríamos
- D) decidiríeis
What is the ele/ela form of decidir in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho decidido
- B) tens decidido
- C) tem decidido
- D) temos decidido
What is the ele/ela form of decidir in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) decidas
- B) decidamos
- C) decidais
- D) decida
What is the eu form of decidir in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) decidisse
- B) decidisses
- C) decidíssemos
- D) decidísseis
What is the gerund of decidir?
- A) decidido
- B) decidindo
- C) decidir
- D) decido
What does decidir mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to decide
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) decido — the correct form is decido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) decidiu — the correct form is decidiu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) decidíamos — the correct form is decidíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) decidirás — the correct form is decidirás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) decidiria — the correct form is decidiria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem decidido — the correct form is tem decidido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) decida — the correct form is decida. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) decidisse — the correct form is decidisse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) decidindo — the correct form is decidindo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to decide — the correct form is to decide. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does decidir mean in English?
decidir means “to decide”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is decidir regular or irregular?
decidir is regular: it follows the ordinary -ir pattern in every tense. The gerund is decidindo and the past participle is decidido.
What are the gerund and past participle of decidir?
The gerund is decidindo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is decidido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho decidido.
Which auxiliary does decidir take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
decidir takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho decidido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle decidido.
How do I say “I decide” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu decido ficar todos os dias.” — “I decide to stay” The eu form of the present is decido, and it is the form you will use most often.
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.
- Decidir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Portuguese present tense guide — the full guide to the present tense in Portuguese.
- Pedir conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Abrir conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Portuguese verbs — the full hub of Portuguese conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise decidir with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise decidir with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise decidir with the interactive tool.