elegir Affirmative Imperative Conjugation
elegir — to choose
The imperative uses the 'i' stem change for most commands: elige (tú), elija (usted), elijamos (nosotros), elegid (vosotros), elijan (ustedes).
elegir Affirmative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Affirmative Imperative
Use the imperative to tell someone to pick or choose something immediately.
Notes on elegir in the Affirmative Imperative
The 'tú' form is 'elige' (e > i). The 'usted/nosotros/ustedes' forms use the 'j' spelling change from the subjunctive. 'Vosotros' is the only form that keeps the 'e'.
Example Sentences
Elige una carta, cualquier carta.
Choose a card, any card.
tú
Elija usted el camino que prefiera.
Choose (formal) the path you prefer.
Elegid vosotros el restaurante esta noche.
You all (informal) choose the restaurant tonight.
vosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'eliga' for the formal command.
Correct: The correct form is 'elija'.
Why: You must use 'j' to keep the soft sound before the letter 'a'.
Mistake: Using 'elega' for tú.
Correct: The correct form is 'elige'.
Why: The informal 'tú' command follows the present indicative third-person singular, which has the e > i change.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: elijo
Elegir is a stem-changing verb (e > i) in all forms except nosotros and vosotros, plus a spelling change in the 'yo' form.
Preterite
yo: elegí
Elegir has a stem change (e > i) in the third person: eligió and eligieron.
Imperfect
yo: elegía
The imperfect of elegir is regular: elegía, elegías, elegía, elegíamos, elegíais, elegían.
Future
yo: elegiré
The future tense of elegir is regular: elegiré, elegirás, elegirá, elegiremos, elegiréis, elegirán.
Conditional
yo: elegiría
The conditional of elegir is regular: elegiría, elegirías, elegiría, elegiríamos, elegiríais, elegirían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: elija
The present subjunctive uses the 'i' stem change and the 'j' spelling in all forms: elija, elijas, elija, elijamos, elijáis, elijan.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: eligiera
The imperfect subjunctive is based on the third-person preterite 'eligieron', resulting in: eligiera, eligieras, eligiera, eligiéramos, eligierais, eligieran.
Negative Imperative
yo: no elijas
The negative imperative always uses the present subjunctive forms: no elijas, no elija, no elijamos, no elijáis, no elijan.