escolher

Escolher is a Portuguese verb that means to select, to pick, or to opt for among options. It is transitive and used to indicate the act of making a decision or selecting one option, person, or path over others. The verb frequently appears with the preposition entre, as in escolher entre várias opções, and with por or para to indicate a basis or destination for the choice.

Etymology and related terms: the word derives from Latin roots connected to the idea of selecting or electing. It is cognate with other Romance forms such as Spanish elegir and French élire, which reflect a common underlying concept of choosing or electing. The noun formed from the verb is escolha, meaning a choice or selection, and the past participle is escolhido, meaning chosen.

Conjugation and usage: escolhar is a regular -er verb with irregularities in the present tense. In Brazilian Portuguese, common forms include: present indicative eu escolho, tu escolhes, ele escolhe, nós escolhemos, vocês escolhem; pretérito perfeito eu escolhi, você escolheu, eles escolheram; imperfecto eu escolhia, você escolhia, eles escolhiam; futuro eu escolherei, você escolherá, eles escolherão. The gerund is escolhendo and the past participle is escolhido. Subjunctive present forms include que eu escolha, que tu escolhas, que ele escolha, que nós escolhamos, que vocês escolham. The imperative forms are: escolha (você), escolhe (tu, informal), escolhamos (nós), escolham (vocês).

Usage notes: escolher is commonly used with entre to indicate choosing from options, with por to indicate choosing on the basis of criteria, and with para to indicate selecting someone or something for a purpose. It is often contrasted with synonyms like optar (por), preferir, or eleger, depending on nuance. In everyday language, it appears in contexts from selecting a meal or a product to appointing a person to a role.