kjósa

Kjósa is an Icelandic verb meaning to choose or to elect. It is used for making a decision between options as well as for electing someone in a political context. The infinitive form is að kjósa. In everyday language, it can describe any act of choosing, such as selecting a route, a meal, or a course of action. In politics, it refers to voting or electing representatives, and related nouns such as kosning (an election) and kosningar (elections) are commonly used with it.

The verb is historically derived from Old Norse kjósa. In modern Icelandic, it appears in standard verb forms and follows the patterns seen in many other regular verbs of the language. Present-tense usage includes sentences like “Ég kýs að fara heim” (I choose to go home) and “Við kjósum að vinna saman” (We choose to work together), which illustrate its flexible application to both personal decisions and collective processes.

Kjósa is often paired with prepositional phrases or complemented by clauses introduced by að to specify the chosen option or action. In electoral contexts, it frequently appears with phrases about voting for a candidate, party, or proposal, and it participates in common expressions related to participation in elections.

See also: kosning, kosningar, kjör. These related terms cover the processes and outcomes associated with choosing or electing in Icelandic political and social life.