ตัดสินใจ

Explanation

ตัดสินใจ is a common verb used when someone reaches a decision about an action, plan, or choice. It works for both major life decisions and small everyday choices, and is natural in both conversation and writing. The word contains ตัดสิน, “to judge or determine,” and ใจ, “heart or mind,” but learners should treat ตัดสินใจ as a single verb meaning “to decide” or “to make up one's mind.” Common patterns include ตัดสินใจแล้ว, “have already decided”; ตัดสินใจที่จะ + verb, “decide to…”; ตัดสินใจไม่ + verb, “decide not to…”; and ตัดสินใจไม่ได้, “be unable to decide.” The nominalized form การตัดสินใจ means “a decision” or “decision-making.”

Usage

It is used for major choices such as education, employment, resignation, marriage, moving, or making a purchase, as well as everyday decisions about food or travel. ตัดสินใจหรือยัง, “Have you decided yet?”, is a common conversational question.

Caution

ตัดสินใจ primarily concerns deciding what to do. For judging a person or situation, ตัดสิน is usually more appropriate; for setting a schedule, rule, or requirement, กำหนด may be needed instead.

1 decide synonyms

• ตกลงใจ

  ตกลงใจ also means to make up one's mind, often with a somewhat stronger sense of firmly resolving to do something. ตัดสินใจ is the more broadly useful term for both everyday choices and major decisions.

• เลือก

  lʉ̂ak choose

  เลือก focuses on selecting one option from a set. ตัดสินใจ focuses on reaching the decision itself and settling on what to do.