deciDÁIS

Decidáis is the second-person plural present subjunctive form of the Spanish verb decidir, meaning “you all decide.” It is used in subordinate clauses that require the subjunctive, typically after verbs of will, doubt, emotion, necessity, or opinion, and when the interlocutors are addressed as vosotros. In regions that use vosotras/vosotros, decidáis appears in formal, informal, or mixed contexts; in many Latin American varieties that use ustedes, the corresponding present subjunctive for ustedes is decidan.

Etymology and background: Decidir comes from Latin decidere, formed with the prefix de- and the root caedere ‘to cut; to decide.’ The form decidáis reflects regular Spanish verb conjugation for the present subjunctive of -ir/-er verbs in the vosotros paradigm.

Conjugation and forms: The key form decidáis is specifically the present subjunctive for vosotros. Related forms include decidáis in third-person singular subjunctive via different verbs, and the present indicative vosotros decidís. The imperfect subjunctive for vosotros can be decidierais or decidieseis, depending on regional preference.

Usage notes: Decidáis commonly appears after expressions like “Es importante que decidáis,” “Quiero que decidáis entre estas opciones,” or “Dudo que decidáis sin consultar.” In Spain, where the vosotros form is standard, decidáis is widely used; in much of Latin America, ustedes replace vosotros and would use decidan in the corresponding contexts.

Pronunciation: In Castilian Spanish, before i/e the letter c is pronounced as /θ/, giving approximately de-θi-DAIS. In Latin American Spanish, c before i is /s/, yielding des-i-DAIS. The word carries the stress on the “dáis” syllable: de-ci-DÁIS.