décides

décides is the present tense second-person singular form of the French verb décider, meaning to decide. It is used with the subject tu, as in tu décides, meaning you decide. The full present tense paradigm of décider is: je décide, tu décides, il décide, nous décidons, vous décidez, ils décident. The imperative for the tu form is Décide!, while the present tense form concluding with -des is not used as an imperative.

Etymology and meaning: décider comes from Latin decīdere, from de- (off, away) and caedere (to cut). The underlying sense is to cut off other options, thereby choosing or deciding. In modern French, the verb expresses making a choice or reaching a conclusion, and it can govern a direct object in some contexts or be followed by de + infinitive to indicate what one has decided to do.

Usage: décider is transitive and common constructions include décrire ce que l’on décide et de quoi on décide de faire quelque chose. Examples include: Tu décides où aller ce soir. Elle décide de partir demain. Ils décident de rester malgré tout. Note that the phrase décider de + infinitive (décider de partir, décider de faire) is a frequent pattern to express deciding to undertake an action.

Pronunciation and orthography: décides is pronounced with the first syllable stressed and the final -des typically not pronounced as a separate sound in standard speech. The form contains an acute accent on é, which differentiates it from the third-person form décide.

See also: décison (decision), décision (decision), décider.