I decided not to tell / I didn't decide to tell

[wotcha]

1) I decided not to tell

2) I didn't decide to tell.


I -as a non native speaker, don't really see the difference between the two.

Will it be safe to tell my students the two sentences can be used interchangeably?

[Gillnetter]

1) I decided not to tell (I made a decision and that decision was not to tell)

2) I didn't decide to tell. (I did not make a decision of whether to tell or not)


I -as a non native speaker, don't really see the difference between the two.

Will it be safe to tell my students the two sentences can be used interchangeably?

Gil