chose

Chose is the simple past tense of the verb to choose in English. It is irregular, with the present tense being choose and the past participle being chosen. In ordinary use, you would see sentences like “I chose a different route” or “They have chosen to wait.” The past tense form “chose” is used for actions completed in the past, while “chosen” is used with auxiliary verbs (e.g., have chosen, had chosen).

Etymology and cognates: The verb derives from Old English ceosan and is of Germanic origin. It has cognates in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch kiezen and German wählen, reflecting a common ancestral form. The past tense development resulting in “chose” is a characteristic irregular pattern of English verbs, contrasting with the regular -ed past tense in many others.

Usage notes: In modern writing, chose mainly appears in narrative or historical contexts. For ongoing or completed actions with a present relevance, writers typically use have chosen or had chosen. Synonyms like select, pick, or determine can be used in more formal or alternative contexts. It is important not to mix up the word with the French noun chose, which means “thing,” a different word with separate usage in French.

See also: choose, choosing, choice, selection, decision.