A French Word to Live By
How to Conjugate Choisir in French
/ʃwa.ziʁ/
Choisir means to choose, select, or make a decision between different possibilities.
Life is full of choices. From choosing what to eat to deciding which path to follow, the ability to choose is part of everyday life.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to conjugate choisir in all the major French tenses and moods. Explore complete conjugation tables, French examples, English translations, pronunciation links, and practice quizzes.
Understanding the French Verb Choisir
Choisir is a regular French verb belonging to the second group of verbs, those ending in -ir that form their present participle with -issant.
It means to choose, select, or make a choice. It is commonly used when talking about decisions, preferences, options, and selecting between alternatives.
Verb classification: Second group (-ir)
Auxiliary verb: Avoir
Past participle: choisi
Present participle: choisissant
English equivalents: To choose, to select, to pick.
One useful detail: choisir follows a regular second-group conjugation pattern. Its present-tense plural forms use the ending -issons, as in nous choisissons.
Experience the Word
Choisir is a word we use whenever we make a decision or select something from several possibilities.
Imagine walking into a French bakery and deciding which pastry to buy. Perhaps you choose a croissant, a pain au chocolat, or something you’ve never tried before.
You might choose a book, a restaurant, a destination, or even a new direction in life.
Every choice begins with a decision. Choisir is the French verb that brings that decision to life.
How to Conjugate Choisir: Complete French Conjugation Guide
Let’s explore every major conjugation of choisir, beginning with the indicative mood.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Indicative Mood
The indicative mood is used to express facts, observations, actions, and events.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Present Tense (Présent)
Used for actions happening now, habitual actions, and general truths.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| je | choisis |
| tu | choisis |
| il / elle | choisit |
| nous | choisissons |
| vous | choisissez |
| ils / elles | choisissent |
Example
Je choisis un livre à la bibliothèque.
I choose a book at the library.
Quick Quiz 1
Complete the sentence:
Nous ______ un restaurant pour ce soir.
Reveal the answer
choisissons
Nous choisissons un restaurant pour ce soir.
We are choosing a restaurant for tonight.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Passé Composé
Used for completed actions in the past. Choisir takes the auxiliary verb avoir.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| j’ | ai choisi |
| tu | as choisi |
| il / elle | a choisi |
| nous | avons choisi |
| vous | avez choisi |
| ils / elles | ont choisi |
Example
Hier, j’ai choisi une nouvelle voiture.
Yesterday, I chose a new car.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Imparfait (Imperfect Tense)
Used for habitual past actions, descriptions, and ongoing situations in the past.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| je | choisissais |
| tu | choisissais |
| il / elle | choisissait |
| nous | choisissions |
| vous | choisissiez |
| ils / elles | choisissaient |
Example
Quand j’étais enfant, je choisissais toujours le dessert.
When I was a child, I always chose dessert.
Quick Quiz 2
Choose the correct form:
When we were students, we used to choose our own books.
Quand nous étions étudiants, nous ______ nos propres livres.
Reveal the answer
choisissions
Quand nous étions étudiants, nous choisissions nos propres livres.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Plus-que-parfait
Used to describe an action that had already been completed before another past event.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| j’ | avais choisi |
| tu | avais choisi |
| il / elle | avait choisi |
| nous | avions choisi |
| vous | aviez choisi |
| ils / elles | avaient choisi |
Example
J’avais déjà choisi mon cadeau avant la fête.
I had already chosen my gift before the party.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Passé Simple
Primarily used in formal writing, literature, and historical narratives. It is rarely used in everyday conversation.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| je | choisis |
| tu | choisis |
| il / elle | choisit |
| nous | choisîmes |
| vous | choisîtes |
| ils / elles | choisirent |
Example
Il choisit une route différente pour rentrer chez lui.
He chose a different route to return home.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Passé Antérieur
A literary tense used to express an action completed immediately before another past action, generally in the passé simple.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| j’ | eus choisi |
| tu | eus choisi |
| il / elle | eut choisi |
| nous | eûmes choisi |
| vous | eûtes choisi |
| ils / elles | eurent choisi |
Example
Dès qu’il eut choisi son chemin, il partit.
As soon as he had chosen his path, he left.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Future Tense (Futur Simple)
Used to describe actions that will take place in the future.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| je | choisirai |
| tu | choisiras |
| il / elle | choisira |
| nous | choisirons |
| vous | choisirez |
| ils / elles | choisiront |
Example
Demain, je choisirai un nouveau cours de français.
Tomorrow, I will choose a new French course.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Futur Antérieur (Future Perfect)
Used for an action that will have been completed before a particular point in the future.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| j’ | aurai choisi |
| tu | auras choisi |
| il / elle | aura choisi |
| nous | aurons choisi |
| vous | aurez choisi |
| ils / elles | auront choisi |
Example
À midi, nous aurons choisi notre destination.
By noon, we will have chosen our destination.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Near Future (Futur Proche)
Used to describe something that is going to happen soon. Formed with aller + infinitive.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| je | vais choisir |
| tu | vas choisir |
| il / elle | va choisir |
| nous | allons choisir |
| vous | allez choisir |
| ils / elles | vont choisir |
Example
Je vais choisir un cadeau pour ma sœur.
I’m going to choose a gift for my sister.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Conditional Mood
The conditional mood expresses what would happen under certain circumstances. It is also frequently used to make polite requests or express wishes.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Present Conditional
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| je | choisirais |
| tu | choisirais |
| il / elle | choisirait |
| nous | choisirions |
| vous | choisiriez |
| ils / elles | choisiraient |
Example
Je choisirais cette robe si elle était moins chère.
I would choose this dress if it were less expensive.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Past Conditional
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| j’ | aurais choisi |
| tu | aurais choisi |
| il / elle | aurait choisi |
| nous | aurions choisi |
| vous | auriez choisi |
| ils / elles | auraient choisi |
Example
J’aurais choisi cette option si je l’avais connue.
I would have chosen this option if I had known about it.
Choisir in the Literary Past Conditional Form
This less common literary form uses the imperfect subjunctive of avoir.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| j’ | eusse choisi |
| tu | eusses choisi |
| il / elle | eût choisi |
| nous | eussions choisi |
| vous | eussiez choisi |
| ils / elles | eussent choisi |
Example
Il eût choisi une autre solution s’il en avait eu la possibilité.
He would have chosen another solution had he had the opportunity.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive is used to express wishes, emotions, doubts, necessity, and uncertainty. It frequently follows expressions such as il faut que (it is necessary that) or bien que (although).
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Present Subjunctive
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| que je | choisisse |
| que tu | choisisses |
| qu’il / qu’elle | choisisse |
| que nous | choisissions |
| que vous | choisissiez |
| qu’ils / qu’elles | choisissent |
Example
Il faut que tu choisisses rapidement.
You must choose quickly.
Quick Quiz 3
Complete the sentence using the subjunctive:
Il faut que nous ______ une date.
Reveal the answer
choisissions
Il faut que nous choisissions une date.
We need to choose a date.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Imperfect Subjunctive
A literary tense, rarely encountered in modern spoken French.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| que je | choisisse |
| que tu | choisisses |
| qu’il / qu’elle | choisît |
| que nous | choisissions |
| que vous | choisissiez |
| qu’ils / qu’elles | choisissent |
Example
Il souhaitait qu’elle choisît avec soin.
He wished that she would choose carefully.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Pluperfect Subjunctive
A literary construction used to express an action completed before another past action.
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| que j’ | eusse choisi |
| que tu | eusses choisi |
| qu’il / qu’elle | eût choisi |
| que nous | eussions choisi |
| que vous | eussiez choisi |
| qu’ils / qu’elles | eussent choisi |
Example
Il regrettait que nous eussions choisi cette option.
He regretted that we had chosen this option.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Past Subjunctive
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| que j’ | aie choisi |
| que tu | aies choisi |
| qu’il / qu’elle | ait choisi |
| que nous | ayons choisi |
| que vous | ayez choisi |
| qu’ils / qu’elles | aient choisi |
Example
Je suis heureux que tu aies choisi cette école.
I’m happy that you chose this school.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Imperative
The imperative is used to give commands, instructions, invitations, or suggestions. Subject pronouns are omitted.
How to Conjugate Choisir in the Present Imperative
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| (tu) | choisis |
| (nous) | choisissons |
| (vous) | choisissez |
Example
Choisissez votre dessert !
Choose your dessert!
Quick Quiz 4
How would you say “Let’s choose a restaurant”?
Reveal the answer
Choisissons un restaurant !
French Participles of Choisir
Participles are verb forms that can be used in compound tenses and other grammatical constructions.
Present Participle of Choisir
choisissant
En choisissant avec soin, vous éviterez les erreurs.
By choosing carefully, you will avoid mistakes.
Past Participle of Choisir
choisi
Nous avons choisi notre destination.
We have chosen our destination.
Choisir in Everyday French: Real-Life Examples
Now that you know the conjugations, let’s see how choisir appears in everyday French.
Example 1 — Present
Je choisis toujours le café sans sucre.
I always choose coffee without sugar.
Example 2 — Passé composé
Elle a choisi une belle robe pour la soirée.
She chose a beautiful dress for the evening.
Example 3 — Imparfait
Nous choisissions souvent le même restaurant.
We often chose the same restaurant.
Example 4 — Future
Ils choisiront leur nouvelle maison demain.
They will choose their new house tomorrow.
Example 5 — Conditional
Je choisirais cette option si j’avais le choix.
I would choose this option if I had the choice.
Example 6 — Subjunctive
Bien que tu choisisses librement, réfléchis bien.
Although you are choosing freely, think carefully.
Beyond Translation: The Meaning of Choisir
English has words such as choose, select, and pick. These all capture the central meaning of choisir.
But choisir is about more than simply selecting an item. It can also describe making important decisions, expressing personal preferences, and deciding what matters most.
You can choose a meal, choose a career, choose a place to live, or choose the people with whom you spend your time.
At its heart, choisir is about making a decision and selecting one possibility over another.
How to Remember the French Verb Choisir
Remember it this way: Choisir means to choose. Think of the moment you stand in front of several possibilities and decide which one you want.
- You choose your favorite meal from a menu.
- You select a book to read on a quiet afternoon.
- You decide which destination to visit on your next vacation.
A helpful conjugation clue is the repeated -iss- found in many forms of choisir:
- Nous choisissons
- Vous choisissez
- Ils choisissent
That -iss- pattern is a useful characteristic of regular second-group French verbs.
Test Your Knowledge of Choisir
Let’s see how much you’ve learned. Try answering these questions before revealing the answers.
Question 1
What auxiliary verb is used with choisir in compound tenses?
Reveal the answer
Avoir
Question 2
How do you say “I will choose” in French?
Reveal the answer
Je choisirai.
Question 3
Translate: “We have chosen a new house.”
Reveal the answer
Nous avons choisi une nouvelle maison.
Question 4
What is the present participle of choisir?
Reveal the answer
Choisissant.
Question 5
Complete the sentence:
Si j’avais plus de temps, je ______ un autre livre.
Reveal the answer
choisirais
Si j’avais plus de temps, je choisirais un autre livre.
If I had more time, I would choose another book.
Your Final Challenge
Can You Use It?
How would you say this in French?
“Tomorrow, we will choose a restaurant for dinner.”
Reveal the answer
Demain, nous choisirons un restaurant pour le dîner.
Tomorrow, we will choose a restaurant for dinner.
A little French. A little curiosity. A richer everyday life.
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