Croire is the French verb for to believe. It is an irregular verb used to express belief, trust, or opinion, and appears frequently in both spoken and written French.
- French: croire
- Meaning: to believe
- Verb type: irregular
- Common uses: to believe, to think, to trust, to have faith in
'Croire' means 'to believe.'
'Croire' is an irregular verb.
'Croire' can also mean to think or to trust.
Conjugation Overview
Croire is conjugated irregularly in most tenses. Here are key forms for the present, passé composé, and imparfait:
| Tense | Je | Tu | Il/Elle/On | Nous | Vous | Ils/Elles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present | crois | crois | croit | croyons | croyez | croient |
| Passé Composé* | ai cru | as cru | a cru | avons cru | avez cru | ont cru |
| Imparfait | croyais | croyais | croyait | croyions | croyiez | croyaient |
Passé composé uses avoir as the auxiliary verb.
- Present: je crois (I believe), nous croyons (we believe)
- Passé composé: j'ai cru (I believed)
- Imparfait: je croyais (I used to believe)
The root is 'crois' for je/tu, 'croit' for il/elle, and 'croy-' for nous/vous/ils.
'Croire' uses 'avoir' as the auxiliary in passé composé.
Usage Examples
- Présent:
- Je crois en toi. (I believe in you.)
- Ils croient que c’est vrai. (They believe that it’s true.)
- Passé Composé:
- Elle a cru au mensonge. (She believed the lie.)
- Nous avons cru en un avenir meilleur. (We believed in a better future.)
- Imparfait:
- Quand j’étais jeune, je croyais aux contes de fées. (When I was young, I believed in fairy tales.)
- Vous croyiez toujours en vos rêves. (You always believed in your dreams.)
'Croire' can be used to express belief in ideas, concepts, as well as people.
Correct uses express belief or trust in something (not eating): Je crois en Dieu; Ils croient à la science; Tu as cru ce que j’ai dit.
Related Expressions
- Croire en... — to believe in (someone/something)
- Se croire... — to consider oneself (often used with adjectival expressions for irony)
- Faire croire que... — to make someone believe that...
- Croire au Père Noël — to believe in Santa Claus (common idiom for believing in fantasies)
Correct idioms: 'croire en soi', 'faire croire que...', 'se croire'.
'croire' can be reflexive: 'se croire' means to consider oneself or to be under the impression.
Conclusion
Croire is a key irregular verb for expressing belief, trust, and opinion in French. Mastering its conjugations and related expressions will greatly expand your ability to discuss ideas and convictions.
- Croire means “to believe” and is irregular.
- It’s used for belief in people, ideas, and also in common expressions.
- Learn its unique forms in present, passé composé, and imparfait for accurate usage.