ich glaube schon
/ɪçˈɡlaʊ̯bəˌʃoːn/
The German phrase for 'I think so' is ich glaube schon.
Meaning: I think so (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'I believe already' or 'I believe so', where schon acts as a particle to reinforce the affirmation.
Which one should you use?
Although ich denke schon is grammatically possible, ich glaube schon is much more common when expressing an opinion or belief about a fact.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɪçˈɡlaʊ̯bəˌʃoːn/
Did you know?
- The word schon in this phrase actually comes from an old word meaning 'beautifully'. It evolved from describing something done 'beautifully' or 'appropriately' to functioning as a particle that means 'already' or 'indeed'.
- Depending on the tone, Ich glaube schon can be used as a polite way to signal that you are about to disagree with someone's premise, acting as a 'softener' before a correction.
- The word schon is a 'modal particle', a category of words in German that convey the speaker's attitude or emotion without changing the basic meaning of the sentence.
Examples in context
- „Liebt er dich?“ – „Ich glaube schon.“"Does he love you?" "I think so."This sentence is useful for seeing how to respond to a question about someone's feelings using ich glaube schon.Tatoeba #6000076 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5999565 by Hybrid
- „Hat Tom Angst?“ – „Ja, ich glaube schon.“"Is Tom afraid?" "Yes, I think so."This sentence shows how to use ich glaube schon to confirm a belief about someone's state of fear.Tatoeba #7408118 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6246626 by CK
- „Bist du glücklich?“ – „Ich glaube schon.“"Are you happy?" "I think so."This sentence demonstrates using ich glaube schon to answer a question about whether someone is happy.Tatoeba #12654986 by Waldelfe, translation #12928336 by sundown
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura are checking the weather forecast.
- MaximilianRegnet es heute noch?Is it still going to rain today?
- LauraIch glaube schon.I think so.
- MaximilianSoll ich den Regenschirm mitnehmen?Should I take the umbrella with me?
- LauraJa, das ist besser.Yes, that is better.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I think so” translations and entries ich glaube schon, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ich, schon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
