Croire or penser: saying what you think and who you believe
Compare je crois que and je pense que, then learn je te crois, croire en and penser à through a conversation about a rumour and five questions.
In short
Je crois que… and je pense que… both commonly mean ‘I think…’ when you give an opinion. For a person, the words after the verb change the meaning: je te crois means ‘I believe you’, je crois en toi means ‘I believe in you’, and je pense à toi means ‘I’m thinking of you’.
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What is the difference between croire and penser?
Je crois que…I think / believe that…
Focus: what you believe to be the case
croire que + a statement
Je crois que cette information est exacte.
I think this information is accurate.
Je crois qu’il faut vérifier la date.
I think we need to check the date.
Je pense que…I think that…
Focus: your view or assessment
penser que + a statement
Je pense que cette information est exacte.
I think this information is accurate.
Je pense qu’il faut vérifier la date.
I think we need to check the date.
Both pairs work in an ordinary conversation. Tone and context tell you how confident the speaker feels. For a clear degree of confidence, add the words you mean: Je crois que oui, mais je ne suis pas sûre (I think so, but I’m not sure), or J’en suis certain (I’m certain of it). Here, the first speaker is a woman and the second is a man.
A rumour in the neighbourhood group
- Nora
Je crois que l’école va fermer. J’ai lu un message dans le groupe du quartier.
I think the school is going to close. I read a message in the neighbourhood group.
- Samir
Je pense qu’il faut vérifier la source. Qui a écrit ce message ?
I think we need to check the source. Who wrote that message?
- Nora
Je ne sais pas. Mais Léa dit qu’elle a parlé au directeur.
I don’t know. But Léa says she spoke to the headteacher.
- Samir
Tu la crois ?
Do you believe her?
- Nora
Oui, je la crois. Je vais lui demander ce qu’il a dit exactement.
Yes, I believe her. I’ll ask her exactly what he said.
Nora’s je crois que introduces her reading of the message. Samir’s je pense que introduces his proposed next step. In je la crois, la refers to Léa: Nora accepts her account. Each expression tells us something about a speaker’s view.
Penser à, penser de or croire que: which pattern?
| French | English | What it means here |
|---|---|---|
| Je te crois. | I believe you. | I accept what you are telling me. |
| Je crois en toi. | I believe in you. | I have confidence in your abilities. |
| Je crois à cette possibilité. | I believe that is possible. | I take the possibility seriously. |
| Je pense à toi. | I’m thinking of you. | You are in my thoughts. |
| Que penses-tu de cette idée ? | What do you think of this idea? | I’m asking for your opinion. |
Tu peux réussir cet entretien. Je crois en toi !
You can do well in that interview. I believe in you!
Encouragement: confidence in the person’s abilities.
Nous pensons à vous pendant cette période difficile.
We’re thinking of you during this difficult time.
A message of support with penser à.