Elegí

Elegí is the first-person singular form of the Spanish verb elegir in the pretérito perfecto simple (preterite). It translates to “I chose” or “I selected” and is used to describe a past decision carried out by the speaker. The form is spelled with an accent on the i to indicate the correct stress pattern in this tense.

Etymology and conjugation. Elegir comes from Latin eligere (to elect, to pick). In the Spanish preterite, the verb shows a stem change in some forms, and the yo form specifically bears the accent: elegí. Full preterite conjugation is: yo elegí, tú elegiste, él/ella/usted eligió, nosotros/nosotras elegimos, vosotros/vosotras elegisteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes eligieron. The past participle is elegido and the present participle is eligiendo.

Usage. Elegí is used to narrate a past act of choosing, whether a personal decision or selecting among options. It is common in everyday speech and in written narration. The verb often appears with direct objects or infinitives, as in “elegí entre varias opciones” or “elegí estudiar medicina.” In compound tenses, it forms with haber as “he elegido” (present perfect).

Related forms. The present tense forms of elegir (elijo, eliges, elige, elegimos, elegís, eligen) show a stem change in the present. The noun “elección” refers to the act or result of choosing, and “elegir” is often used in contexts ranging from personal decisions to elections and selections in various fields.

See also. Spanish verbs, verb conjugation, pretérito perfecto simple, elección.