decidimos
deh-see-DEE-mos
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Hoy decidimos comer en casa porque hace frío.
A1Today we decide to eat at home because it is cold.
El mes pasado decidimos cambiar de trabajo.
A2Last month we decided to change jobs.
Si hay mucha gente, siempre decidimos irnos a otro sitio.
B1If there are a lot of people, we always decide to go somewhere else.
💡 Grammar Points
The Dual Identity of 'Decidimos'
This word is unique because it is the exact same form for both 'we decide' (present tense) and 'we decided' (past tense/preterite). You rely completely on time words (like 'ayer' or 'hoy') to know which meaning is intended.
Verb Ending (-ir)
This word comes from the base verb 'decidir' (to decide), which is a regular verb ending in -ir. This means its changes follow a highly predictable pattern.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Ambiguity in Conversation
Mistake: "Using 'Decidimos' without any context, leaving the listener unsure if you are talking about the present or the past."
Correction: To avoid confusion, always include a time marker (like *hace un rato* or *mañana*) or use a periphrasis for the future: 'Vamos a decidir mañana' (We are going to decide tomorrow).
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on Time Markers
Look for words like ayer (yesterday) or la semana pasada (last week) to confirm the past meaning, or siempre (always) or hoy (today) to confirm the present meaning.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: decidimos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'decidimos' in the past tense?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'decidimos' the same word for both 'we decide' and 'we decided'?
This is a common feature in Spanish for the 'we' form of all -ir verbs (like *decidir*). Both the Present tense and the Simple Past tense (Preterite) conjugation for 'nosotros' ended up being identical over time. You must rely on context or time expressions to tell them apart.