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A1 verb 10 min read

eleger

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips eleger in 30 Seconds

Explanation eleger in your Level:

At the A1 level, you only need to know that 'eleger' means 'to elect' or 'to choose' in a formal way. You will mostly see it in very simple sentences about presidents or school leaders. The most important thing to remember is the present tense form 'eu elejo' and the fact that it's used for voting. Think of it as a 'special' kind of choosing that happens with a group of people and a ballot. You might see it in a simple news headline or a basic social studies text. Don't worry about complex grammar yet; just focus on the basic meaning: voting for a leader.

At the A2 level, you should start using 'eleger' in the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito). For example, 'Eles elegeram o presidente' (They elected the president). You should also learn the irregular past participle 'eleito' (elected). Instead of saying 'He was chosen', you can now say 'Ele foi eleito'. This adds a level of sophistication to your Portuguese. You will likely encounter this word when reading about history or current events in simple Portuguese texts. Remember that 'eleger' is more formal than 'escolher', so use it when talking about official roles or positions.

At the B1 level, you are expected to use 'eleger' in more complex structures, such as the future subjunctive ('Se nós elegermos...') or with modal verbs ('Precisamos eleger...'). You should understand the difference between 'eleger' and 'nomear' (to appoint). You should also be comfortable using the passive voice frequently, as 'eleger' is often used this way in media: 'O representante foi eleito por unanimidade' (The representative was elected unanimously). At this stage, you should be able to participate in a basic discussion about why people elect certain leaders and what the process involves.

At the B2 level, you should have a firm grasp of the nuances of 'eleger'. You can use it in figurative senses, such as 'eleger uma prioridade' (to choose a priority). You should be familiar with related nouns like 'eleição' (election) and 'eleitor' (voter). You can discuss the social and political implications of electing different parties or individuals. Your grammar should be precise, correctly alternating between 'elejo' and 'elege' and consistently using the participle 'eleito'. You might also encounter the word in legal or contractual contexts, such as 'eleger o foro' (choosing the jurisdiction).

At the C1 level, you should be able to use 'eleger' and its derivatives with native-like precision. You can analyze political discourse and understand how the verb is used to frame power dynamics. You should be aware of the historical context of elections in Lusophone countries and how the term 'eleger' has evolved. You can use the verb in academic writing or formal debates, discussing the philosophy of 'eleger' representatives versus 'sortear' (choosing by lot). You should also be comfortable with the rare long participle 'elegido' if you encounter it in older literature, though you would still use 'eleito' in your own speech.

At the C2 level, you have complete mastery of 'eleger'. You understand its etymological roots in Latin ('eligere') and how it relates to concepts of selection and excellence. You can use the verb in highly technical legal, philosophical, or literary contexts without hesitation. You can appreciate the subtle difference between 'eleger' used as a synonym for 'distinguir' (to distinguish) in high-style prose. You are able to interpret the word's use in complex constitutional law or high-level political theory. For a C2 speaker, 'eleger' is not just a verb but a concept tied to the legitimacy of authority and the mechanics of choice.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

eleger in 30 Seconds

Eleger is a Portuguese verb meaning 'to elect' via voting.
It is primarily used in political, organizational, and formal contexts.
The verb has an irregular past participle: 'eleito' (elected).
It requires a spelling change from 'g' to 'j' in certain forms like 'eu elejo'.

The Portuguese verb eleger primarily translates to "to elect" in English. At its core, it refers to the formal process of choosing a person for a public office, a position of authority, or a specific duty through a collective voting mechanism. While its most common application is within the realm of politics—such as electing a president, a mayor, or a member of parliament—its usage extends into various social and organizational contexts. For instance, a group of students might eleger a class representative, or a board of directors might eleger a new chairperson. The word carries a weight of formality and official selection that differentiates it from the more general verb escolher (to choose).

Political Context: This is the primary domain of the word. It describes the democratic act of casting ballots. Example: 'O povo vai eleger o novo presidente no próximo domingo' (The people are going to elect the new president next Sunday).
Organizational Context: Used when a structured group makes a decision. Example: 'A assembleia precisa eleger um novo tesoureiro' (The assembly needs to elect a new treasurer).
Figurative Selection: Occasionally used to mean 'to pick out' or 'to single out' something as the best or most important. Example: 'Ele elegeu a paciência como sua maior virtude' (He chose/elected patience as his greatest virtue).

Os cidadãos têm o poder de eleger seus representantes de forma livre e direta.

In terms of register, eleger is a standard, formal verb. You will encounter it in newspapers, legal documents, television news broadcasts, and history books. It is rarely used in casual conversation to describe choosing a pizza topping or a movie to watch; in those cases, escolher is the appropriate choice. Understanding the specificity of eleger helps a learner navigate the nuances of Portuguese social structures. It implies a process, often involving rules, candidates, and a definitive outcome that affects a group rather than just an individual preference.

Nós vamos eleger o melhor projeto da feira de ciências.

The verb also plays a crucial role in discussing civil rights and duties. In Portuguese-speaking countries like Brazil and Portugal, the act of eleger is seen as a fundamental pillar of democracy. Discussions about 'quem eleger' (whom to elect) dominate public discourse during election cycles. The word is deeply tied to the concept of 'sufrágio' (suffrage) and 'voto' (vote). By mastering this word, you are not just learning a verb; you are learning how to discuss the very mechanics of how Portuguese-speaking societies organize themselves and confer power.

Using eleger correctly involves understanding its conjugation and the prepositions that often accompany it. As a regular '-er' verb in most of its forms, it follows standard patterns, but it has a very important irregular past participle: eleito. While elegido technically exists, it is extremely rare in modern Portuguese, and eleito is used in almost all contexts, whether with the auxiliary verbs 'ter/haver' or 'ser/estar'.

Direct Object Usage: The verb is transitive, meaning it takes a direct object (the person or thing being elected). Example: 'Eles elegeram a Maria' (They elected Maria).
Prepositional Usage (Para): We often use 'para' to indicate the position. Example: 'Ele foi eleito para o cargo de diretor' (He was elected to the position of director).
Passive Voice: Common in news reports. Example: 'O novo prefeito foi eleito com 60% dos votos' (The new mayor was elected with 60% of the votes).

Se nós elegermos bons líderes, o futuro será melhor.

In the future subjunctive (as seen in the example above), eleger follows the standard pattern for -er verbs: eu eleger, tu elegeres, ele eleger, nós elegermos, vós elegerdes, eles elegerem. This is frequently used in political promises and hypothetical scenarios. Another important aspect is the present indicative, where the 'g' changes to 'j' in the first person singular to preserve the soft sound: Eu elejo. Without the 'j', it would be pronounced 'ele-go', which is incorrect.

Eles já tinham eleito o representante antes da reunião acabar.

When using eleger in complex sentences, it is often paired with temporal markers like 'a cada quatro anos' (every four years) or 'pela primeira vez' (for the first time). It is also common to see it in the infinitive after modal verbs like 'precisamos' (we need to) or 'podemos' (we can). For example, 'Precisamos eleger alguém que conheça os problemas da cidade' (We need to elect someone who knows the city's problems). This highlights the purposive nature of the verb—it is an action taken to achieve a specific administrative or representative goal.

The frequency of hearing eleger spikes significantly during election years in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, and other Lusophone nations. During these times, you will hear it on every news broadcast (Jornal Nacional, Telejornal), in political advertisements, and in debates. Journalists will analyze which candidates are likely to be eleitos and what the impact of eleger a certain party might be on the economy. It is a keyword in the vocabulary of any Portuguese-speaking citizen engaged in civic life.

News & Media: Headlines like 'País se prepara para eleger novo parlamento' (Country prepares to elect new parliament) are standard.
Academic & History: In classrooms, teachers discuss historical moments: 'Quando o Brasil voltou a eleger presidentes por voto direto...' (When Brazil returned to electing presidents by direct vote...).
Workplace: Formal meetings often involve electing committees: 'Vamos eleger os membros da CIPA' (Let's elect the members of the Internal Accident Prevention Commission).

O sindicato vai eleger a nova diretoria amanhã.

Beyond formal politics, you might hear eleger in cultural contexts, such as awards shows or year-end lists. A magazine might eleger the best album of the year ('eleger o melhor álbum do ano') or a sports commentary might eleger the best player of the match. In these instances, it suggests a more authoritative or consensus-based selection than simply 'liking' something. It implies that a group of experts or the public has collectively decided on a winner.

A revista costuma eleger as personalidades mais influentes do mundo.

Finally, in legal or formal writing, eleger is used to designate a specific jurisdiction or court in a contract. You might see a phrase like 'As partes elegem o foro da comarca de Lisboa para dirimir quaisquer dúvidas' (The parties elect/choose the court of the Lisbon district to resolve any doubts). This is a very specific, high-level use of the word that learners should be aware of if they are dealing with Portuguese documents. It signifies a binding choice within a legal framework.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make is using eleger when they should use escolher. While both mean "to choose," eleger is specifically for voting or formal selection. You wouldn't "eleger" a shirt to wear or a dish at a restaurant. If there isn't a ballot, a committee, or a formal process of single-ing something out as a representative choice, stick with escolher.

The Past Participle Trap: Learners often try to say 'elegido'. While not technically 'wrong' in an archaic sense, it sounds very unnatural to native speakers. Always use 'eleito'. Correct: 'Ele foi eleito'. Incorrect-sounding: 'Ele foi elegido'.
Spelling in the Present: Forgetting the 'g' to 'j' change in 'eu elejo'. Writing 'eu elego' is a common spelling error that changes the pronunciation entirely.
Confusion with 'Elegível': Sometimes learners confuse the verb with the adjective 'elegível' (eligible). 'Eleger' is the action; 'elegível' is the quality of being able to be elected.

Errado: Eu elego o azul. Correto: Eu escolho o azul. (Context: picking a color).

Another mistake is the misuse of prepositions. In English, we "elect someone AS president." In Portuguese, we often "elegemos alguém para presidente" or simply use the title as a predicative. For example, 'Eles elegeram-no presidente' (They elected him president). Using 'como' (as) is possible but less common than 'para' in many administrative contexts. Additionally, be careful with the plural form in the passive voice: 'Os candidatos foram eleitos' (The candidates were elected). The participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.

Errado: O presidente foi elegido. Correto: O presidente foi eleito.

Finally, don't confuse eleger with erigir (to erect/build). While they sound slightly similar to a new learner, they have completely different meanings. Eleger is about choices and people; erigir is about monuments and structures. Always double-check the context—if it's about a person winning a position, it's eleger. If it's about a statue being put up, it's erigir.

While eleger is the specific term for voting, several other verbs share overlapping meanings depending on the context. Understanding these alternatives will make your Portuguese sound more natural and precise. The most common alternative is escolher, which is the general-purpose verb for 'to choose'.

Escolher vs. Eleger: 'Escolher' is informal and general (choosing a book). 'Eleger' is formal and specific (choosing a leader by vote).
Selecionar: Used when picking from a set of options based on criteria, like 'selecionar candidatos para uma entrevista' (selecting candidates for an interview).
Nomear / Designar: These mean 'to appoint'. Unlike 'eleger', which implies a vote, 'nomear' implies that someone in power simply chose the person for the role.
Optar por: Means 'to opt for' or 'to decide on'. It's often used for decisions between two or more clear paths or items.

O diretor vai nomear o novo gerente, em vez de eleger um por votação.

Another interesting synonym is aclamar. This means 'to elect by acclaim' or 'to cheer for'. It is used when a selection is so unanimous that no formal ballot is needed—everyone just agrees loudly. In historical contexts, kings were often aclamados. In modern times, a popular leader might be aclamado as the head of a movement. On the more technical side, recrutar (to recruit) is used in business contexts to find and hire people, which is a different process from electing them.

Eles preferiram optar por uma votação secreta para eleger o líder.

Lastly, consider the verb votar (to vote). While eleger is the outcome (choosing someone), votar is the action that leads to it. You 'vota em alguém' (vote for someone) in order to 'eleger alguém' (elect someone). Understanding the relationship between these two verbs is key for any discussion about civic participation in Portuguese. If you say 'Eu elegi o João', it sounds like you alone had the power to make him win; if you say 'Eu votei no João', it means you contributed your single vote to his potential election.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

Neutral

Informal

Child friendly

Slang

Fun Fact

The word 'eleger' shares the same root as 'elegante' (elegant). Originally, an elegant person was someone who was 'well-chosen' or showed 'choice' taste.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /e.le.ˈʒeɾ/

US /e.le.ˈʒeʁ/

The stress is on the last syllable: e-le-GER.

Rhymes With

comer beber fazer querer trazer dizer viver saber

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 'g' as a hard 'g' (like in 'game') in 'elejo'. It should always be a soft 'zh' sound.
Misplacing the stress on the second syllable.
Using an English 'l' sound (velarized) instead of the clearer Portuguese 'l'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize due to its English cognate 'elect'.

Writing 3/5

Requires remembering the 'g' to 'j' spelling change and the irregular participle 'eleito'.

Speaking 2/5

Pronunciation is straightforward once the 'j' sound is mastered.

Listening 2/5

Clearly audible in news and formal contexts.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

votar escolher povo líder novo

Learn Next

eleição candidato governo democracia mandato

Advanced

sufrágio plebiscito escrutínio diplomação posse

Grammar to Know

Spelling change in -er verbs with 'g'

Eu elejo (present), que eles elejam (subjunctive).

Irregular Past Participle

O candidato foi eleito (not elegido).

Passive Voice with 'ser'

O presidente é eleito pelo povo.

Future Subjunctive formation

Quando nós elegermos o novo líder, saberemos o plano.

Agreement of the participle

As representantes foram eleitas.

Examples by Level

Nós vamos eleger o presidente.

We are going to elect the president.

Simple future with 'ir' + infinitive.

Eu elejo o meu amigo para líder.

I elect my friend to be the leader.

Present tense, 'eu elejo' (note the 'j').

Eles elegem um novo representante.

They elect a new representative.

Present tense, third person plural.

Você quer eleger a Maria?

Do you want to elect Maria?

Infinitive after 'querer'.

O povo elege o prefeito.

The people elect the mayor.

Present tense, singular subject 'o povo'.

É importante eleger bons líderes.

It is important to elect good leaders.

Impersonal expression + infinitive.

Nós elegemos o capitão do time.

We elect the team captain.

Present tense, 'nós' form.

Quem você vai eleger?

Whom are you going to elect?

Interrogative sentence.

Eles elegeram o novo diretor ontem.

They elected the new director yesterday.

Pretérito Perfeito (Past tense).

Ela foi eleita a melhor aluna.

She was elected the best student.

Passive voice with feminine participle 'eleita'.

Nós já tínhamos eleito o síndico.

We had already elected the building manager.

Pretérito Mais-que-perfeito composto.

O clube elegeu sua nova diretoria.

The club elected its new board.

Pretérito Perfeito.

Muitas pessoas foram eleitas pela primeira vez.

Many people were elected for the first time.

Passive voice plural.

O Brasil elegeu um novo congresso.

Brazil elected a new congress.

Third person singular past.

Quem foi eleito na sua cidade?

Who was elected in your city?

Passive voice question.

Eles não quiseram eleger o candidato.

They did not want to elect the candidate.

Negative past with infinitive.

Se nós elegermos o João, as coisas vão mudar.

If we elect João, things will change.

Future Subjunctive.

Espero que eles elejam alguém competente.

I hope they elect someone competent.

Present Subjunctive (note the 'j').

O presidente eleito prometeu melhorias na saúde.

The elected president promised improvements in health.

Participle used as an adjective.

Eles estão prestes a eleger o novo Papa.

They are about to elect the new Pope.

Expression 'prestes a' + infinitive.

Seria melhor eleger uma mulher desta vez.

It would be better to elect a woman this time.

Conditional 'seria' + infinitive.

Ninguém queria eleger aquele político corrupto.

No one wanted to elect that corrupt politician.

Imperfect indicative.

Ao eleger o representante, todos devem votar.

When electing the representative, everyone must vote.

Preposition 'ao' + infinitive (temporal).

Ele foi eleito por uma margem muito pequena.

He was elected by a very small margin.

Passive voice with agent 'por'.

O conselho elegerá o sucessor no próximo mês.

The council will elect the successor next month.

Future Indicative (formal).

Embora o tenham eleito, muitos não confiam nele.

Although they elected him, many do not trust him.

Conjunction 'embora' + subjunctive compound.

A assembleia elegeu a educação como prioridade.

The assembly elected education as a priority.

Figurative use of 'eleger'.

Caso elejam o candidato da oposição, haverá protestos.

In case they elect the opposition candidate, there will be protests.

Conjunction 'caso' + subjunctive.

O tribunal elegeu o domicílio do réu para o processo.

The court elected the defendant's domicile for the lawsuit.

Legal usage of 'eleger'.

Eles elegeram o silêncio como resposta.

They elected silence as a response.

Metaphorical use.

Tendo eleito o representante, a reunião foi encerrada.

Having elected the representative, the meeting was closed.

Gerund compound (causal/temporal).

É fundamental que saibamos quem eleger.

It is fundamental that we know whom to elect.

Subjunctive + interrogative pronoun.

A historiografia costuma eleger este evento como o marco inicial.

Historiography usually elects this event as the starting point.

Academic usage.

O partido busca eleger uma bancada mais diversa.

The party seeks to elect a more diverse caucus.

Political terminology ('bancada').

Não basta eleger; é preciso fiscalizar os eleitos.

It is not enough to elect; it is necessary to monitor those elected.

Substantive use of the participle.

A crítica elegeu o filme como a obra-prima da década.

The critics elected the film as the masterpiece of the decade.

Cultural/Critical usage.

Elegeram-no por aclamação, tamanha era a sua popularidade.

They elected him by acclaim, such was his popularity.

Clitic pronoun placement + 'tamanha' structure.

A dificuldade de eleger um consenso atrasou as negociações.

The difficulty of electing (reaching) a consensus delayed the negotiations.

Abstract usage.

O sistema proporcional permite eleger candidatos com poucos votos.

The proportional system allows for electing candidates with few votes.

Technical political context.

Pode-se eleger qualquer cidadão que preencha os requisitos.

One can elect any citizen who meets the requirements.

Passive with 'se'.

A nação viu-se no dilema de eleger entre o populismo e a austeridade.

The nation found itself in the dilemma of electing between populism and austerity.

Reflexive verb + complex political concepts.

Eleger a virtude em detrimento do vício é um exercício constante.

To elect virtue over vice is a constant exercise.

Philosophical usage.

O texto constitucional elege a dignidade humana como valor supremo.

The constitutional text elects human dignity as the supreme value.

Legal/Constitutional usage.

A subjetividade do júri ao eleger o vencedor foi questionada.

The jury's subjectivity in electing the winner was questioned.

Nominalization and complex syntax.

Elegendo-se a via diplomática, evitou-se o conflito armado.

By electing the diplomatic route, armed conflict was avoided.

Gerund with reflexive pronoun.

A elite intelectual tende a eleger cânones que nem sempre refletem a realidade.

The intellectual elite tends to elect canons that do not always reflect reality.

Sociological usage.

Resta saber se o eleitorado saberá eleger com discernimento.

It remains to be seen if the electorate will know how to elect with discernment.

Future indicative + 'resta saber' structure.

A faculdade de eleger os próprios governantes é a essência da liberdade.

The faculty of electing one's own rulers is the essence of freedom.

Formal philosophical definition.

Common Collocations

eleger um presidente

eleger por maioria

eleger por unanimidade

eleger representantes

eleger o foro

eleger uma prioridade

ser eleito para

eleger democraticamente

eleger um sucessor

eleger pelo voto

Common Phrases

eleger a dedo

— To choose very carefully or selectively. It implies a precise picking process.

O treinador elegeu a dedo os jogadores para a final.

eleger como alvo

— To single out someone or something as a target for criticism or action.

A oposição elegeu o ministro como alvo de críticas.

eleito pelo povo

— Elected by the people. Often used to emphasize democratic legitimacy.

Ele é um governante eleito pelo povo.

reunir-se para eleger

— To meet specifically for the purpose of holding an election.

Os sócios vão reunir-se para eleger a nova diretoria.

eleger o melhor

— To pick the best among many options in a formal ranking.

A revista vai eleger o melhor restaurante da cidade.

voto para eleger

— The vote used to elect someone. Refers to the mechanism of choice.

O seu voto para eleger o prefeito é secreto.

processo de eleger

— The process or procedure of electing. Focuses on the steps involved.

O processo de eleger o novo líder foi longo.

eleger por sorteio

— To choose by lot or random draw (rare/technical). Often contrasted with voting.

Em algumas assembleias, podem eleger por sorteio.

eleger domicílio

— A legal term meaning to choose a specific address for official notifications.

O advogado elegeu domicílio profissional no centro.

direito de eleger

— The right to elect or to vote. A fundamental civil right.

O direito de eleger e ser eleito é para todos.

Often Confused With

eleger vs escolher

Escolher is general; eleger is for formal voting.

eleger vs erigir

Erigir means to build/erect a structure, not to elect a person.

eleger vs elidir

Elidir is a linguistic term meaning to omit a sound.

Idioms & Expressions

"eleger a própria sorte"

— To take control of one's destiny or make a definitive life choice.

Ao mudar de país, ele decidiu eleger a própria sorte.

literary

"eleger o caminho mais difícil"

— To intentionally choose a complicated or challenging path.

Ela sempre acaba por eleger o caminho mais difícil.

informal

"eleger um bode expiatório"

— To single out someone to take the blame for others' mistakes (scapegoating).

A empresa elegeu o estagiário como bode expiatório.

neutral

"eleger como cavalo de batalha"

— To choose a specific issue to fight for or focus on intensely.

O candidato elegeu a educação como seu cavalo de batalha.

idiomatic

"eleito de Deus"

— A religious expression referring to someone chosen by divine will.

Naquela cultura, o rei era visto como o eleito de Deus.

religious/formal

"eleger a dedo"

— To pick very carefully, as if with a finger selecting one by one.

A equipe foi eleita a dedo pelo capitão.

informal

"eleger o silêncio"

— To choose not to speak or respond to a situation.

Diante da acusação, ele elegeu o silêncio.

literary

"eleger domicílio"

— To formally establish a legal address in a contract.

As partes elegem o domicílio de São Paulo.

legal

"eleger o mal menor"

— To choose the lesser of two evils.

Muitas vezes, votar significa eleger o mal menor.

neutral

"eleito do coração"

— A romantic way to refer to one's chosen partner or beloved.

Ele apresentou a sua eleita do coração à família.

informal/poetic

Easily Confused

eleger vs elegível

Sounds like the verb.

Elegível is an adjective meaning 'able to be elected'. Eleger is the verb.

Ele é elegível, então podemos eleger ele.

eleger vs eleito

It's the past participle.

Eleito is used as an adjective or with auxiliary verbs. Eleger is the infinitive.

O eleito vai governar; nós vamos eleger ele.

eleger vs seleção

Related concept.

Seleção is the noun for choosing (often in sports). Eleição is the noun for electing.

A seleção de jogadores é diferente da eleição do capitão.

eleger vs nomeação

Both involve getting a job.

Nomeação is an appointment by a superior. Eleição is a choice by a group.

A nomeação do ministro não foi uma eleição.

eleger vs votação

The process vs the outcome.

Votação is the act of voting. Eleição is the whole event/outcome.

A votação serve para eleger o candidato.

Sentence Patterns

[Subject] vai eleger [Object].

O povo vai eleger o líder.

[Subject] foi eleito(a).

A Maria foi eleita.

Espero que [Subject] eleja [Object].

Espero que eles elejam você.

Se [Subject] eleger [Object], [Result].

Se elegerem o Pedro, o projeto continua.

Elegeram-no [Title].

Elegeram-no presidente do clube.

A faculdade de eleger [Concept]...

A faculdade de eleger o próprio destino é rara.

Precisamos eleger [Object] para [Position].

Precisamos eleger um novo tesoureiro para o clube.

Eles já tinham eleito [Object].

Eles já tinham eleito o capitão.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

High, especially during election cycles and in news media.

Common Mistakes

Eu elego o candidato. → Eu elejo o candidato.
The 'g' must change to 'j' before 'o' to maintain the correct sound.
Ele foi elegido. → Ele foi eleito.
In modern Portuguese, 'eleito' is the standard past participle.
Vou eleger uma maçã. → Vou escolher uma maçã.
'Eleger' is too formal for choosing fruit. Use 'escolher'.
Eles elegeram ele presidente. → Eles elegeram-no presidente.
In formal writing, use the object pronoun '-no' after the verb.
A Maria foi eleito. → A Maria foi eleita.
The past participle must agree in gender with the subject.

Tips

Participle Perfection

Always remember that 'eleito' is the only participle you need. It works for both 'has elected' and 'was elected'.

Formal vs Informal

Use 'eleger' in your business meetings and 'escolher' at the bar with friends.

The 'J' Rule

If the verb ending is 'o' or 'a', change 'g' to 'j'. Elejo, eleja, elejamos.

Civic Duty

Knowing this word is key to understanding news in Portugal and Brazil, where politics is a frequent topic of conversation.

Legal Context

If you see 'eleger o foro' in a contract, it just means choosing which city's court will handle disputes.

Stress the End

Portuguese verbs in the infinitive always stress the last syllable. e-le-GER.

Election Connection

Connect 'eleger' to 'election' in your mind. They share the same Latin root.

Passive Voice

'Eleger' is very common in the passive voice. Practice saying 'foi eleito' or 'foram eleitos'.

News Keywords

When you hear 'eleições', 'eleger', or 'eleitor', you know the topic is politics.

Figurative Use

Try using 'eleger' to describe choosing a main goal or priority to sound more advanced.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of an ELECTION. To ELEG-er is to carry out an ELEG-tion. The 'E' is for Everyone voting.

Visual Association

Visualize a golden ballot box. Every time someone drops a vote, the word 'ELEGER' glows on the side.

Word Web

Voto Presidente Político Escolha Democracia Urna Candidato Direito

Challenge

Try to write three sentences using 'eleger': one about a president, one about a school, and one about a personal priority.

Word Origin

From the Latin 'eligere', which is composed of 'ex-' (out) and 'legere' (to choose, read, or gather).

Original meaning: To pick out, to select from a group.

Romance (Latinate)

Cultural Context

Be aware that political discussions involving 'quem eleger' can be very polarized. In some Lusophone countries with histories of dictatorship, the right to 'eleger' is a sensitive and highly valued achievement.

In English, 'elect' is almost exclusively political or formal. Portuguese 'eleger' mirrors this but is slightly more common in organizational contexts like clubs or small committees.

The song 'Eleição' by Brazilian artists reflecting on the power of the vote. Historical texts about the first time women were allowed to 'eleger' representatives in Portugal (1931/1974). Newspaper archives from the 'Diretas Já' movement in Brazil, fighting for the right to 'eleger' the president directly.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

General Elections

Eleger o presidente
Eleger o parlamento
Votar para eleger
Eleger por voto direto

School/University

Eleger o representante de turma
Eleger o reitor
Eleger o grêmio estudantil
Eleger o capitão

Corporate/Business

Eleger a diretoria
Eleger o conselho
Eleger um sucessor
Eleger o funcionário do mês

Legal/Contracts

Eleger o foro
Eleger domicílio
Eleger a legislação aplicável
Eleger árbitros

Cultural/Awards

Eleger o melhor filme
Eleger a miss
Eleger o vencedor
Eleger a música do ano

Conversation Starters

"Quem você acha que o povo vai eleger este ano?"

"Você já foi eleito para algum cargo na escola ou no trabalho?"

"É difícil eleger apenas uma prioridade na vida, não acha?"

"Qual a importância de eleger representantes honestos?"

"Como funciona o processo para eleger o síndico no seu prédio?"

Journal Prompts

Escreva sobre uma vez que você teve que eleger alguém para uma tarefa importante.

Se você pudesse eleger qualquer pessoa do passado para liderar o mundo hoje, quem seria?

Quais critérios você usa para eleger seus representantes políticos?

Descreva o processo de eleger um novo líder em uma organização que você conhece.

Reflita sobre a frase: 'Eleger é um direito, mas também uma responsabilidade'.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, that would sound very strange. Use 'escolher' for daily choices like food or clothes. 'Eleger' is reserved for formal votes or very significant selections.

It appears in some very old texts or specific regional dialects, but for 99% of modern Portuguese, it is considered wrong. Always use 'eleito'.

The verb is 'reeleger'. Example: 'O povo quer reeleger o prefeito' (The people want to re-elect the mayor).

Usually, yes. However, it can be used figuratively to mean 'to single out' or 'to prioritize', but even then, it implies a formal decision.

Yes, the meaning and conjugation are identical. Only the pronunciation of the final 'r' and some vowels differs slightly.

The noun is 'eleição' (election). The person who elects is an 'eleitor' (voter).

In Portuguese, the letter 'g' sounds like 'j' before 'e' or 'i'. To keep that same 'j' sound when the ending changes to 'o' (first person present), we must change the 'g' to 'j'.

Yes, 'eleger-se' means to get oneself elected. Example: 'Ele quer eleger-se deputado' (He wants to get himself elected as a deputy).

You say 'presidente eleito'. If it's a woman, 'presidente eleita' or 'presidenta eleita'.

There isn't one exact opposite, but 'depor' (to depose) or 'rejeitar' (to reject) are used depending on the context.