opté

Optó is the third-person singular form of the Spanish verb optar in the pretérito perfecto simple (simple past). Optar means to choose or to decide in favor of one option. The verb is regular in this tense, with the full preterite paradigm: opté, optaste, optó, optamos, optasteis, optaron. The form optó corresponds to él, ella, or usted.

Usage and meaning

Optó is used to report a completed decision in the past. It is commonly followed by por to indicate the chosen option or direction, as in optó por estudiar medicina (he chose to study medicine) or optó por la vía legal (he chose the legal route). It can also be followed by an infinitive, as in optó por no decir nada (he chose not to say anything).

Examples

Ella optó por estudiar medicina. El comité optó por posponer la reunión. Juan optó por no asistir.

Etymology

Optar derives from Latin optāre, meaning to choose or desire. The form optó aligns with the regular conjugation pattern for -ar verbs in the pretérito. The root opt- appears in related terms across Romance languages, reflecting the core meaning of making a choice.