Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to choose" in Italian: scegliere
scegliere
To choose in Italian is scegliere (SHEHL-yeh-reh). Everyday: scelgo, scegli, sceglie, abbiamo scelto. Prefer scelgo or sceglie—la scelta is also a noun.
Gelato counter
Scelgo pistacchio e nocciola.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce scegliere
Say it
SHEHL-yeh-reh
/ˈʃeʎ.ʎe.re/
Scegliere: SHEHL-yeh-reh. Soft sce like sheh; gli like ly. Stress SHEHL. Scelgo: SHEHL-goh.
"to choose" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| scegliere | to choose Dictionary form. | Dictionary form. |
| scelgo / scegli / sceglie | I choose / you choose / he-she chooses Present singular. | Present singular. |
| ho scelto | I chose / I have chosen Passato prossimo. | Passato prossimo. |
| scegli pure | go ahead and choose Polite invitation. | Polite invitation. |
How to use scegliere in real life
- 1Gelato counter
Scelgo pistacchio e nocciola.
I choose pistachio and hazelnut.
Io scelgo.
- 2Menu hesitation
Lei sceglie sempre il pesce.
She always chooses the fish.
Lei sceglie.
- 3After deciding
Ho scelto il treno delle nove.
I chose the nine o'clock train.
Ho scelto.
Mistakes English speakers make with scegliere
Incorrect: Io scegliere il vino.
Correct: Scelgo il vino.
Conjugate: io scelgo.
Incorrect: La scelta alone as the verb drill.
Correct: Scelgo io. / Sceglie Marco.
La scelta is a noun; use a verb form.
Good to know
Shopkeepers say scegli pure while you look. On apps, selezionare appears, but speech sticks with scegliere. Scelta is the noun for the choice itself—handy, but separate from the verb practice.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Picking a film together
ChatPal
Scegli tu stasera—io sono indeciso.
You choose tonight—I'm undecided.
You
Ok: scelgo la comedy leggera.
Okay: I choose the light comedy.
ChatPal
Perfetto. Se non ti convince, ne scegliamo un'altra.
Perfect. If it doesn't click, we'll choose another.
You
Affare fatto.
Deal.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to choose" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to choose" in Italian
How do you say to choose?
Scegliere.
I choose?
Scelgo.
I chose?
Ho scelto.
Noun scelta?
Different word—use scelgo/sceglie for the verb.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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