creo que
/kɾeo ke/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "I think" is creo que.
creo que is used to express a belief or an opinion about something.
What does it mean word for word?
The word creo is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb creer, which means "to believe" or "to think".
Which one should you use?
While creo que expresses a belief or an opinion, it is distinct from pienso que, which is used more for the active process of thinking or a specific mental opinion.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, creo is almost always followed by the conjunction que when introducing a clause, similar to the English "I think that".
How do you pronounce it?
/kɾeo ke/
Did you know?
- The word 'creo' looks almost identical to the English word 'create', but it is a 'false friend' that actually means 'I believe'.
- If you say creo que to mean 'I believe' in a religious sense, you are using the exact same word you would use to say 'I think the bus is late'.
- If you want to express doubt rather than a certainty with 'creo que', the verb in the following clause must change to the subjunctive mood.
Examples in context
- Creo que es Tom.I think it's Tom.This example shows how to use creo que to identify someone.Tatoeba #2405775 by Shishir, translation #2261988 by CK
- Creo que me teme.I think he's afraid of me.This example shows how to use creo que to express an opinion about someone's feelings.Tatoeba #13802435 by Seael, translation #13802413 by adamtrousers
- Creo que hará sol.I think it will be sunny.This example shows how to use creo que to express a belief about the weather.Tatoeba #1314092 by Shishir, translation #271543 by CC
- Yo creo que deberíamos ir al cineI think we should go to the movies
- Yo pienso que es una buena ideaI think it's a good idea
- Para mí, ese restaurante es el mejorIn my opinion, that restaurant is the best
- En mi opinión, este proyecto es viableIn my opinion, this project is viable
- Considero que esta propuesta es muy interesanteI think this proposal is very interesting
- Me parece que es necesario tomar medidas urgentesIt seems to me that it's necessary to take urgent measures
- No sé, pero creo que es una buena ideaI don't know, but I think it's a good idea
- 1507 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Javier are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- MaríaCreo que la pizza es una buena idea.I think that pizza is a good idea.
- JavierSí, a mí también me parece bien.Yes, that sounds good to me too.
- MaríaEntonces, ¿pedimos una de pepperoni?So, should we order a pepperoni one?
- JavierPerfecto, yo la pido ahora mismo.Perfect, I will order it right now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
