Inklingo

How to Say "i chose" in Spanish

The Spanish word fori choseis elegíA2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA2

elegí

Verb (past tense form)A2
Simple past action
A storybook illustration showing a small child holding a single red apple firmly in their hand. Two other apples, green and yellow, rest on the ground nearby, indicating the choice has been made.

Examples

Ayer elegí la opción más difícil.

Yesterday I chose the most difficult option.

Elegí este vestido para la boda de mi hermana.

I selected this dress for my sister's wedding.

De todas las universidades, elegí la que estaba más cerca de casa.

Out of all the universities, I chose the one that was closest to home.

Use of the Preterite

You use 'elegí' to talk about a choice or decision that you completed at a definite moment in the past. It’s a finished action, like closing a door.

Stem Change E > I

The infinitive is 'elegir,' but in some forms (like 'eligió' or 'elijan'), the 'e' changes to an 'i'. However, in 'elegí' (the 'yo' preterite), the stem stays 'eleg-'.

Confusing Past Tenses

Mistake:Using 'yo elegía' (imperfect) instead of 'yo elegí' (preterite).

Correction: Use 'elegí' when the choice was a single, specific event ('I chose the book'). Use 'elegía' only if you were describing a choice you used to make repeatedly ('I always used to choose the blue one').

Related Translations

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