Penser vs Croire – To Think vs To Believe
In French, penser and croire both relate to what someone holds in their mind, but they serve different nuances and constructions. This short guide shows when to use each verb with clear examples.
Penser
Use penser to express an opinion, an intention, or a more deliberate judgment. Penser often appears before an infinitive when stating plans, or before que when giving an evaluative thought.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧠 Je pense que le nouveau café est ouvert depuis ce matin. | I think the new café opened this morning. |
| 💬 Elle pense que la réunion commencera plus tard. | She thinks the meeting will start later. |
| 📧 Nous pensons que l'email a été envoyé hier soir. | We think the email was sent last night. |
| 🗺️ Ils pensent que le marché se tient sur la place centrale. | They think the market is held in the central square. |
Construction
When expressing an opinion with penser, you can use penser que followed by a clause, or penser + infinitive for intentions. Asking questions with inversion or adding ce que can tweak the focus.
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Croire
Use croire to express a belief, an assumption, or something you accept as true, sometimes without full proof. Croire commonly takes que before a clause and can appear in negative or interrogative forms to highlight doubt.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🙏 Je crois que tout ira bien demain. | I believe that everything will be fine tomorrow. |
| 🌟 Elle croit en la réussite de son projet. | She believes in the success of her project. |
| 💡 Nous croyons que cette idée peut changer les choses. | We believe that this idea can change things. |
| ❤️ Ils croient aux valeurs de solidarité de la communauté. | They believe in the community's values of solidarity. |
Construction
Croire normally pairs with que to introduce a subordinate clause when stating a belief. Negative forms like ne pas croire que trigger the subjunctive if doubt is implied. Questions can use inversion for emphasis.
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Summary
Use penser for opinions and intentions and croire for beliefs and assumptions. Pay attention to whether you want to express a plan (penser à/penser de), an evaluative opinion (penser que), or a belief (croire que), and choose the construction that fits.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025