decida
de-SEE-dah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Espero que ella decida pronto qué hacer.
B1I hope she decides soon what to do.
No creo que él decida venir a la fiesta.
B2I don't think he will decide to come to the party.
Dile que decida si quiere ir o no.
B1Tell him to decide whether he wants to go or not.
Que decida el grupo cuál es el mejor plan.
C1Let the group decide what the best plan is.
💡 Grammar Points
The Subjunctive Trigger
The form 'decida' is part of a special verb system used after certain phrases expressing wishes, emotions, doubt, or lack of certainty (like 'Espero que...' or 'No creo que...').
Formal Commands
'Decida' is also the polite, formal way to tell one person to decide: 'Usted, decida ahora' (You, decide now).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong mood with doubt
Mistake: "No pienso que ella decide."
Correction: No pienso que ella decida. (When you express doubt or denial, the second verb usually needs this special form.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Remember the W.E.I.R.D.O. rule
Use 'decida' (the special form) when the first part of the sentence expresses: Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Requests, Doubt/Denial, or Ojalá (hopefully).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
preterite
present
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: decida
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'decida'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'decida' sound like it could be 'I' or 'he/she/usted'?
That's a feature of the special verb system (the subjunctive)! In Spanish, the 'yo' form (I) and the 'él/ella/usted' form (he/she/formal you) are often identical in this mood. You rely on the context or the subject pronoun to know who is deciding.
Is 'decida' ever used without 'que'?
Yes, primarily as a formal command. For example, if your boss tells you directly, 'Decida usted el presupuesto,' they are telling you, 'You decide the budget.'