Spanish · Everyday Verbs
"to choose" in Spanish: elegir
elegir
To choose in Spanish is elegir. Say yo elijo and ¿Cuál eliges? The j in elijo is the stem-change spelling.
Menu
Elijo el pollo con arroz.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce elegir
Say it
eh-leh-HEER / eh-LEE-hoh
/e.le.ˈxiɾ/
eh-leh-HEER. Yo elijo is eh-LEE-hoh. Soft j like h.
"to choose" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| elegir | to choose Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| yo elijo | I choose Present; g→j. | Present; g→j. |
| tú eliges | you choose Informal present. | Informal present. |
| ¿cuál eliges? | which do you choose? Menu or store. | Menu or store. |
| elegir entre | to choose between Two options. | Two options. |
How to use elegir in real life
- 1Menu
Elijo el pollo con arroz.
I choose the chicken with rice.
Elijo for I choose.
- 2Shopping
¿Cuál eliges, el azul o el rojo?
Which do you choose, blue or red?
Eliges with tú.
- 3Team
Ustedes eligen el restaurante esta noche.
You all choose the restaurant tonight.
Eligen with ustedes.
Mistakes English speakers make with elegir
Incorrect: Yo elego el menú.
Correct: Yo elijo el menú.
Present is elijo with j, not elego.
Incorrect: Yo elegir el postre.
Correct: Yo elijo el postre. / Voy a elegir el postre.
Conjugate: yo elijo.
Good to know
Good to knowElegir fits menus, seats, and teams. Escoger is a close synonym of elegir. Either works when shopping or ordering.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Picking dessert
ChatPal
¿Cuál eliges: flan o helado?
Which do you choose: flan or ice cream?
You
Elijo el flan, por favor.
I choose the flan, please.
ChatPal
Yo elijo helado de mango.
I choose mango ice cream.
You
Buenas opciones las dos.
Both are good options.
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 Spanish
How do I say I choose?
Yo elijo.
Why elijo not elego?
Present spelling: elijo, eliges, elige, eligen.
Elegir vs escoger?
Both mean choose; both are common.
How do you pronounce elijo?
eh-LEE-hoh — j like English h.
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