Definition
To choose or select something; also to vote in an election.
Example
Sie wählen jeden Morgen ein frisches Brot.
Show translation
They choose a fresh bread every morning.
Etymology
From Old High German *wellan* / *wellen* ("to want, to choose"), related to Old English *willan* and English *will*. The sense "to vote" developed as representative democracy emerged in the 18th–19th centuries.
Cultural note
In German civic life, *wählen* carries particular weight: *Bundestagswahl* (federal election) is a cornerstone of German democracy, and Germans often say *Wählen ist Pflicht* ("voting is a duty") as a social norm, even though voting is not legally mandatory. Be careful not to confuse *wählen* with *auswählen* (to pick out/select from a set) — both are correct but *auswählen* emphasises the act of picking from visible options.