entscheiden vs sich entschließen
German word comparison
Listen to entscheiden
Listen to sich entschließen
| entscheiden | sich entschließen |
|---|---|
ent-SCHIE-den verb | [zɪç ɛntˈʃlɪsən] verb |
| to decide; to make a decision | to make up one's mind (reflexive), to come to a personal decision after consideration |
How they differ
Sich entschließen is reflexive and emphasizes the internal process of making up one's mind (often after hesitation); entscheiden can be transitive or intransitive and is used both for internal choices and for decisions made by others or authorities.
When to use each
When to use entscheiden: Use entscheiden when you need a general verb for choosing, deciding a matter, or making a judgment (including transitive uses).
When to use sich entschließen: Use sich entschließen when you want to stress that someone has finally made up their mind about a personal action, especially after hesitation.
Side-by-side examples
- Die Kommission muss noch entscheiden, ob das Projekt gefördert wird.
(The commission still has to decide whether the project will be funded.) - Nach langem Zögern hat sie sich entschlossen, das Angebot anzunehmen.
(After a long hesitation, she made up her mind to accept the offer.)
Register & nuance: Sich entschließen is neutral and common in spoken and written German for personal decisions; it is less appropriate when describing formal institutional resolutions.