Conjugation of decidir | Catalan Grammar

Decidir means “to decide” or “determine.” In the Central standard it follows the incoative third conjugation: decideixo, decideixes, decideix, decidim, decidiu, decideixen. The extension -eix- marks the stem-stressed present cells but disappears from decidim, decidiu and from the remaining tenses and nonfinite forms.

The principal parts are decideixo – decidia – decidí – decidiré – decideixi – decidís – decidit. There are no defective cells or irregular compound forms. Meaning and syntax create the main learning challenge: plain decidir takes a decision or proposition, whereas decidir-se a and decidir-se per describe committing oneself to an action or option.

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Learn the contrast as a small system: decidir una cosa, decidir fer una cosa, decidir-se a fer-la, and decidir-se per una opció.

Nonfinite forms

Form	Catalan	English guide
Infinitive	decidir	to decide
Perfect infinitive	haver decidit	to have decided
Gerund	decidint	deciding
Perfect gerund	havent decidit	having decided
Participle	decidit; decidida, decidits, decidides	decided; determined

Compound tenses use haver + decidit, with the participle normally invariable: elles han decidit marxar. The agreeing forms are adjectival or passive: una persona decidida; les mesures decidides pel consell. The gerund is decidint, never decideixent.

Indicative: simple and periphrastic tenses

Tense	jo	tu	ell / ella / vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres	ells / elles / vostès
Present	decideixo	decideixes	decideix	decidim	decidiu	decideixen
Imperfect	decidia	decidies	decidia	decidíem	decidíeu	decidien
Periphrastic past	vaig decidir	vas decidir	va decidir	vam decidir	vau decidir	van decidir
Simple past	decidí	decidires	decidí	decidírem	decidíreu	decidiren
Future	decidiré	decidiràs	decidirà	decidirem	decidireu	decidiran
Conditional	decidiria	decidiries	decidiria	decidiríem	decidiríeu	decidirien

The conversational perfective past is usually periphrastic in Central Catalan. The synthetic simple past is mostly (formal/literary) there, though it remains current in speech in some Valencian and Balearic areas (regional). First- and third-person decidí are identical.

No decideixo mai el menú abans d'arribar al restaurant.

I never decide on the menu before getting to the restaurant.

Mentre negociàvem, el comitè decidia quines propostes sotmetria a votació.

While we were negotiating, the committee was deciding which proposals it would put to a vote.

Al final vam decidir tornar a peu perquè ja no passava cap autobús.

In the end we decided to walk back because there were no more buses.

Demà decidirem si renovem el contracte o busquem un altre local.

Tomorrow we'll decide whether to renew the contract or look for another premises.

Compound tenses

Indicative tense	jo	tu	ell / ella / vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres	ells / elles / vostès
Present perfect	he decidit	has decidit	ha decidit	hem decidit	heu decidit	han decidit
Pluperfect	havia decidit	havies decidit	havia decidit	havíem decidit	havíeu decidit	havien decidit
Past anterior	haguí decidit	hagueres decidit	hagué decidit	haguérem decidit	haguéreu decidit	hagueren decidit
Future perfect	hauré decidit	hauràs decidit	haurà decidit	haurem decidit	haureu decidit	hauran decidit
Conditional perfect	hauria decidit	hauries decidit	hauria decidit	hauríem decidit	hauríeu decidit	haurien decidit

The past anterior is (formal/literary). Its periphrastic counterpart is vaig haver decidit, vas haver decidit, va haver decidit, vam haver decidit, vau haver decidit, van haver decidit. A proposition can be replaced by neuter ho: Ja ho hem decidit “We've already decided it.”

Encara no ho hem decidit; ens falta saber quant costarà la reforma.

We haven't decided yet; we still need to know how much the renovation will cost.

Quan ens van oferir una plaça més, ja havíem decidit qui vindria.

When they offered us one more place, we had already decided who would come.

Subjunctive and imperative

Subjunctive tense	jo	tu	ell / ella / vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres	ells / elles / vostès
Present	decideixi	decideixis	decideixi	decidim	decidiu	decideixin
Imperfect	decidís	decidissis	decidís	decidíssim	decidíssiu	decidissin
Present perfect	hagi decidit	hagis decidit	hagi decidit	hàgim decidit	hàgiu decidit	hagin decidit
Pluperfect	hagués decidit	haguessis decidit	hagués decidit	haguéssim decidit	haguéssiu decidit	haguessin decidit

Restricted periphrastic series	jo	tu	ell / ella / vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres	ells / elles / vostès
Subjunctive past	vagi decidir	vagis decidir	vagi decidir	vàgim decidir	vàgiu decidir	vagin decidir
Subjunctive past anterior	vagi haver decidit	vagis haver decidit	vagi haver decidit	vàgim haver decidit	vàgiu haver decidit	vagin haver decidit

The periphrastic subjunctive rows have restricted (regional/formal) distribution. Ordinary Central usage prefers decidís and hagués decidit.

Addressee	Affirmative	Negative
tu	decideix	no decideixis
vostè	decideixi	no decideixi
nosaltres	decidim	no decidim
vosaltres	decidiu	no decidiu
vostès	decideixin	no decideixin

És important que decideixis amb tota la informació damunt la taula.

It's important that you decide with all the information on the table.

Decidiu-ho avui, perquè demà s'acaba el termini d'inscripció.

Decide it today, because the registration deadline is tomorrow.

Affirmative imperatives attach clitics (decideix-ho, decidiu-vos-hi); negative imperatives put them first (no ho decideixis, no us hi decidiu). Familiar imperative decideix and third-person present decideix are homographs.

Plain decidir and pronominal decidir-se

Plain decidir + noun/interrogative/clause focuses on the content or outcome of a decision: decidir la data; decidir qui parla; decidir que tancaran. With the same understood subject, decidir + infinitive is direct and neutral: He decidit quedar-me. When the subjects differ, Catalan uses a finite clause: Hem decidit que la Júlia es quedi.

La junta ha decidit que el nou horari entrarà en vigor al gener.

The board has decided that the new schedule will take effect in January.

Decidir-se a + infinitive presents commitment after hesitation: finalment s'ha decidit a trucar. Decidir-se per + noun marks the selected option: ens hem decidit pel model petit. Because the pronoun belongs to these constructions, dropping it changes the perspective and may make the preposition ungrammatical.

Després de donar-hi moltes voltes, m'he decidit a demanar una excedència.

After thinking it over a lot, I've finally decided to request a leave of absence.

Ens vam decidir pel pis més lluminós, tot i que era una mica més car.

We chose the brighter apartment, even though it was a little more expensive.

To contrast alternatives, use decidir entre: decidir entre llogar i comprar. Decidir sobre is common in administrative or (formal) contexts for ruling on a matter: el tribunal decidirà sobre el recurs. English “make a decision” also maps naturally to prendre una decisió, not only to decidir.

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Plain decidir fer states the decision. Pronominal decidir-se a fer adds the idea of overcoming hesitation, while decidir-se per identifies the selected option.

(Regional: Valencian) decidisc, variants decidixes/decideixes, and present subjunctive decidisca... are standard; imperfect subjunctive decidira... is also standard. (Regional: Balearic) incoative forms in -esc occur. These are complete regional patterns, not isolated alternatives to Central decideixo/decideixi.

Common Mistakes

❌ Nosaltres decideixim el calendari a principi de curs.

Incorrect—the first-person plural has no incoative extension.

✅ Nosaltres decidim el calendari a principi de curs.

We decide the calendar at the beginning of the academic year.

❌ Encara estan decideixent quin pressupost presentaran.

Incorrect—the gerund is decidint, without -eix-.

✅ Encara estan decidint quin pressupost presentaran.

They're still deciding which budget they will present.

❌ Finalment he decidit a parlar amb la directora.

Incorrect if hesitation is meant—decidir-se a requires the reflexive pronoun.

✅ Finalment m'he decidit a parlar amb la directora.

I've finally brought myself to speak with the director.

❌ Ens hem decidit el model més senzill.

Incorrect for choosing among options—the construction is decidir-se per.

✅ Ens hem decidit pel model més senzill.

We've chosen the simplest model.

❌ No decideix-ho sense consultar la resta de l'equip.

Incorrect—negative commands put the clitic before a subjunctive form.

✅ No ho decideixis sense consultar la resta de l'equip.

Don't decide it without consulting the rest of the team.

Key Takeaways

Organize the paradigm around decideixo, decidim, decidint, decidiré, decideixi, decidís, and decidit. Incoative -eix- is confined to its present cells. Use decidir + infinitive for a straightforward decision, decidir-se a + infinitive for commitment after hesitation, and decidir-se per for choosing an option.

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