escolhesse

Escolhesse is a verb form of the Portuguese verb escolher, meaning to choose. It is the imperfect subjunctive (conjuntivo imperfeito) and is used in subordinate clauses to express hypothetical, uncertain, or counterfactual actions in the past, as well as wishes, doubts, or expressions of necessity, often in conditional or indirect-speech contexts. The imperfect subjunctive forms are: eu escolhesse, tu escolhesses, ele/ela/você escolhesse, nós escolhêssemos, vós escolhêsseis, eles/elas/vocês escolhessem. The form escolhesse corresponds to the first and third person singular in this tense; the second person singular is escolhesses, the first person plural escolhêssemos, the second person plural escolhêsseis, and the third person plural escolhessem.

Usage examples illustrate its functions. Se eu escolhesse outra carreira, talvez chegasse a ser mais feliz. Queria que você escolhesse com cuidado. É importante que ele escolhesse a opção com mais cautela. Em perguntas indiretas, pode-se dizer: Ele perguntou se eu escolhesse a rota mais rápida. The imperfect subjunctive contrasts with the present subjunctive, escolha, which is used for present or future conditions (e.g., Se eu escolher...). It also differs from the preterite chose, escolheu, which marks a definite past action rather than a hypothetical or contingent one.

Etymology and morphology notes are typical in grammar references: escolhesse is derived from the stem of escolher with endings typical of the imperfect subjunctive, sharing the same irregular pattern that many -er verbs exhibit in this tense. In ordinary speech, the imperfect subjunctive is common in Brazilian Portuguese and formal writing, especially in hypothetical or reported speech.