Spanish Conversation · Level 57
74 words
Spanish word
optar
Pronunciation
IPA/opˈtaɾ/
Meaning
- verbchoose
Example
¿Vas a optar por té o café?
Are you going to choose tea or coffee?
More examples
Muchos estudiantes optan por estudiar en línea.
Many students opt to study online.
Core concept
A balance scale weighing two choices with one side slightly tipped.
Common phrases
optar por
opt for
optar por + infinitivo
opt to
Similar words
elegir: Chooses among alternatives in common, everyday situations.
escoger: Chooses according to personal wants or tastes, stressing individual desire.
decidir: Makes a definitive choice after deliberation or a period of doubt.
preferir: Shows preference for one option over others, indicating sustained liking.
Definition in Spanish
Decidirse por una alternativa tras valorar opciones; connota cierta deliberación y aparece con frecuencia en contextos formales.
Word origin
From Latin optāre 'to wish, to choose', Spanish optar retains the sense of selecting one alternative after deliberation and is cognate with English opt.
Usage tips
- Optar is somewhat more formal than elegir or escoger and normally takes optar por + noun or infinitive for the chosen option, while optar a appears when aiming for or being eligible for something.