The preterite of decidir is used to express when someone made a decision at a specific moment in the past. For example, “I decided to study abroad” – “Decidí estudiar en el extranjero.”
This verb follows the regular -ir conjugation pattern in the preterite tense. The stem remains unchanged throughout all conjugations.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Decidir (to decide) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | decidí |
| Tú | decidiste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | decidió |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | decidimos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | decidisteis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | decidieron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Decidir (to decide) in the Preterite (Past) Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Decidir in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of decidir expresses completed acts of decision-making.
To decide/determine: Describes specific moments of making decisions, for example Decidí cambiar de trabajo (I decided to change jobs), or Decidieron mudarse (They decided to move).
To resolve/settle: Used for reaching final decisions, for example Decidieron el asunto rápidamente (They settled the matter quickly).
Examples
Examples of Decidir in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Decidí cambiar de trabajo el mes pasado. (I decided to change jobs last month.)
¿Por qué decidiste mudarte tan lejos? (Why did you decide to move so far away?)
El jurado decidió en favor del demandante. (The jury decided in favor of the plaintiff.)
Decidimos cancelar el viaje por el mal tiempo. (We decided to cancel the trip due to bad weather.)
Los estudiantes decidieron protestar. (The students decided to protest.)
¿Cuándo decidiste estudiar medicina? (When did you decide to study medicine?)
Decidió vender la casa después del divorcio. (He decided to sell the house after the divorce.)
Decidimos adoptar un perro del refugio. (We decided to adopt a dog from the shelter.)
Finalmente decidieron casarse en primavera. (They finally decided to get married in spring.)
Decidí aprender un nuevo idioma. (I decided to learn a new language.)
El comité decidió posponer la reunión. (The committee decided to postpone the meeting.)
Decidiste muy bien al rechazar esa oferta. (You decided well in rejecting that offer.)
Decidimos empezar nuestro propio negocio. (We decided to start our own business.)
Los directores decidieron cerrar la empresa. (The directors decided to close the company.)
Decidió seguir sus sueños y hacerse artista. (She decided to follow her dreams and become an artist.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Decidir (to decide) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo decidí | I decided |
| Tú decidiste | You decided |
| Él / Ella / Usted decidió | He / She / You (formal) decided |
| Nosotros / Nosotras decidimos | We decided |
| Vosotros / Vosotras decidisteis | You all decided |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes decidieron | They / You all (formal) decided |
This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.