verb
Common
chose
Chose (verb) means past tense of choose: selected or picked. Example: “She chose the blue dress over the red one.”
verb
1
Past tense of choose: selected or picked.
"Since this work is about Vilna's Jewish community, I have chose the familiar spelling Vilna, which closely approximates Jews' preferred name for their city."
— Andrew Noble Koss, World War I and the Remaking of Jewish Vilna (2010)
"She chose the blue dress over the red one."
"They chose to stay home instead of going out."
"I chose the window seat so I could watch the clouds."
How to use chose
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe simple past tense of "choose" — what you did when you picked something.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "choose" (present tense) or "chosen" (past participle): I choose today, I chose yesterday, I have chosen already.
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Word forms
- Plural
- choses
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She _____ the blue dress over the red one.
Etymology
Came into English from Middle French chose, itself from Latin causa (“cause, reason”); it is a doublet of cause.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for chose
See all rhymes for chose →Frequently asked questions
What does “chose” mean?
The word “chose” means past tense of choose: selected or picked. In plain terms, the simple past tense of "choose" — what you did when you picked something.
How do you use “chose” in a sentence?
Here is “chose” used in a sentence: “She chose the blue dress over the red one.”
What part of speech is “chose”?
“Chose” is a verb.
Is “chose” a common word?
“Chose” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between chose and choose?
Choose is the present tense — 'I choose tea every morning.' Chose is its past tense — 'Yesterday I chose coffee.' They sound different too: choose rhymes with 'news,' while chose rhymes with 'nose.' If the action already happened, use chose; if it is happening now or generally, use choose.
What is the difference between chose and chosen?
Chose is the simple past tense: 'She chose the red one.' Chosen is the past participle, used with a helping verb like have, has, or was: 'She has chosen the red one.' A quick test — if there is no 'have' or 'was' nearby, you almost always want chose.
Is it 'I have chose' or 'I have chosen'?
It is 'I have chosen.' After have, has, or had, English requires the past participle, which is chosen. 'I have chose' is a common mistake. Use chose only on its own — 'I chose it' — and chosen whenever a form of have or be comes before it.
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