we have decided vs we had decided

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'We have decided' is used when referring to a decision that was made recently or is still relevant in the present. 'We had decided' is used when referring to a decision that was made in the past, before another past event. The choice between the two depends on the timeline of events being described.

Last updated: April 03, 2024 • 986 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when referring to a decision that was made recently or is still relevant in the present.

"we have decided"

Use 'we have decided' when talking about a decision that was made recently or is still relevant in the present. It indicates a current state resulting from a recent decision.

Examples:

We have decided to go on a trip next weekend.
They have decided to postpone the meeting until next week.
I have decided to change my career path.
Have you decided on a restaurant for dinner?
She has decided to study abroad next semester.

Show examples from the web [+]

Jan 8, 2021 ... After reviewing your qualifications, we have decided not to move forward with your application for this specific opportunity.
English Also in the European Union the courts are there to ensure the better legal operation of the institutions and policies we have decided on jointly.

Alternatives:

We decided
We made a decision
We settled on
We chose
We opted for

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when referring to a decision that was made in the past, before another past event.

"we had decided"

Use 'we had decided' when talking about a decision that was made in the past, before another past event. It indicates a decision that was finalized before a specific point in the past.

Examples:

We had decided to leave before the storm hit.
They had decided on a color scheme for the wedding before the venue was booked.
I had decided to quit my job before I received the promotion.
Had you decided on a gift for her birthday before she canceled the party?
She had decided to move to a new city before she met her partner.

Show examples from the web [+]

I ran away because we had decided to live together.
But we had decided to rescue James Leer.
And within a day, we had decided that maybe we could take a shortcut to finding the structure of DNA.
In fact, we had decided to save Marcello.
Yet our choice was right and met with cooperation from distributors: we never had to give up screening a film we had decided to show.
I didn't know we had decided on it.
Paul: That's what we had decided upon.
Twenty years ago, we had decided to develop a way to get actually friendly with what was then the Soviets.
In a revolutionary move, we had decided never to speak to the final consumer.
Thanks to one of the gift boxes received by a couple of friends, we had decided to go to Ciasa Pradel.
The project was groundbreaking as we had decided to use a then-new technique for the facial capture.
However, we had decided that, before undertaking any review, we should evaluate the effects of the new regulation.
My explanation of vote against related to the fact that we had decided - and Mr Martens was present - to include this issue on the agenda.
One thing that we had decided to do is get some aerial footage, so we decided to take our own helicopter with us.
General Morillon has just reminded us that, as the European People's Party, we had decided on this initiative on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May.
We had decided she would not leave me.
We had decided to conceive a child.
So, after a long discussion with other colleagues, We had decided to give him only three subjects.
We had decided to shoot with Walter Steiner because he's absolutely in a class of his own nowadays.
We had decided to implement our kernel as a collection of server processes running on top of Mach.

Alternatives:

We had made a decision
We had settled on
We had chosen
We had opted for

How TextRanch works

Fast and reliable proofreading, editing, and language advice tailored to your needs.

1. Choose Your Service

Quick Text Editing

Emails and short texts
Proofreading & editing
Ready in 5-10 minutes

SUBMIT YOUR TEXT NOW

Document Editing

Documents of any type (*.docx)
Advanced & Premium editing
Ready in as little as 4 hours

UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENT

Ask an Editor

Personalized answers to your language questions
Expert guidance on grammar, style, and usage
Ready in 24 hours

ASK YOUR QUESTION

Upload your document or paste your text directly into our platform. Your text is reviewed and refined by our expert editors (real people, not machines) who understand the nuances of English. Expect corrections, improvements, and insightful suggestions that enhance the clarity, tone, and professionalism of your writing.

3. Receive Your Polished Text

In just a few minutes (or hours for longer documents), you'll receive your corrected text. Review the changes, make any final adjustments, and confidently share your polished English with the world.
You can count on a personalized, friendly service every time you use TextRanch. We're committed to helping you make a great impression with every word you write.

We proofread and edit these types of texts and documents:

Short texts Business Emails Personal Emails Social media posts Resume and Curriculum Vitae Business documents Sales proposal Research and academic papers Thesis Dissertation Essays Articles Blog posts and much more....

Why choose TextRanch?

Complete Privacy

Your texts are safe and secure with us. We never share your information with third parties.

Affordable Pricing

No subscription fees and rates up to 50% cheaper than other online editing services.

100% Satisfaction

We guarantee that you'll be satisfied with the quality of our service or your money back.

Top Customer Service

Our team is here to help you with any questions you may have. Contact us anytime.

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283125 votes, and

4.9 Excellent - Reviews 2.137

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Zubair
from Bangladesh

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Arturo
from Mexico

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Selena
from USA

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Ifiok
from Nigeria

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Wilson
from France

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Susan
from Germany

we have decided vs we had decided

"we have decided"

"we had decided"

2. Submit Your Text

3. Receive Your Polished Text