Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| decretare | /de.kreˈta.re/ |
| deliberare | /de.li.beˈra.re/ |
| pronunciarsi |
The words provided are used when the act of deciding involves giving a judgment or issuing a formal ruling. While these forms are specialized, the most common way to say 'to decide' in everyday Italian is decidere.
Which one should you use?
The choice between these words depends on the type of authority and the nature of the decision. Use decretare when an authority or official body issues a formal decree or law. Use deliberare for formal decision-making processes, such as a board or committee reaching a resolution after discussion. Use pronunciarsi when an authority or judge expresses a formal opinion, judgment or ruling on a specific matter. Additionally, determinare serves as a formal synonym for 'decide'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word decretare is pronounced /de.kreˈta.re/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- While decidere is the general word for 'decide' in Italian, it shares a root with 'decide' in English. Both come from the Latin decidere, meaning 'to cut off'.
- The word deliberare shares a surprising root with the English word 'liberate', as both stem from the Latin 'liber', meaning 'free'.
- The word determinare can mean 'to decide' in formal contexts, but it is also used in science to mean 'to calculate' or 'to identify' a value.
Examples in context
- Ho deciso di accettare l'offerta di lavoro.I have decided to accept the job offer.
- Non riesco a decidermi tra le due opzioni.I can't decide between the two options.
- Devo scegliere quale libro leggere.I have to decide which book to read.
- Mi devo decidere tra la pasta e la pizza.I have to decide between the pasta and the pizza.
- Possono decretare l'inizio del processo.They can decree the start of the trial.
Example conversation
Francesco and Sofia are discussing a legal ruling.
- FrancescoHai letto la notizia sul tribunale?Did you read the news about the court?
- SofiaSì, il giudice ha voluto decretare il colpevole.Yes, the judge wanted to decree the guilty party.
- FrancescoÈ stata una decisione molto veloce.It was a very fast decision.
- SofiaVero, Sofia pensa che sia giusto.True, Sofia thinks it is right.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “decide” translations and entries decretare, deliberare, pronunciarsi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deliberare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
