pensé que
/pense ke/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I thought that" is translated into Spanish as pensé que.
pensé que is used to introduce a belief or assumption that the speaker previously held.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form pensé que uses the preterite tense, which implies the thought was a discrete event or a sudden realization that has now been corrected. In contrast, pensaba que is often used to describe an ongoing state of belief or a background thought in the past. You may also use creía que (I believed/thought that) as a very common synonym for pensar when expressing an assumption or a mistaken belief.
Did you know?
- In certain Spanish-speaking cultures, starting a sentence with pensé que is a social strategy used to soften a confrontation and avoid blaming others for a misunderstanding.
- The word que in pensé que is a cognate of the English word 'who', as both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root.
- If a speaker follows pensé que with a verb in the subjunctive mood, they are likely expressing a wish or doubt rather than a mistaken belief.
Examples in context
- Pensé que sonaba bien.I thought that sounded good.This example is useful for using the form pensé que.Tatoeba #3939511 by cueyayotl, translation #2543835 by CK
- Pensé que Tom era rico.I thought that Tom was rich.Tatoeba #7845078 by ecorralest101, translation #6890411 by CK
- Pensé que me entendías.I thought that you understood me.Tatoeba #9445700 by ignacio, translation #7171884 by CK
- Pensé que sería una buena idea tomar esa decisión.I thought that it would be a good idea to make that decision.
- Creí que habría más participantes en la reunión.I thought that there would be more participants in the meeting.
- Pensaba que llegarías más tarde.I thought that you would arrive later.
- Me imaginaba que ibas a sorprenderme con ese regalo.I thought that you were going to surprise me with that gift.
- Opinaba que sería mejor esperar antes de tomar la decisión.I thought that it would be better to wait before making the decision.
- Me parecía que tenías razón.I thought that you were right.
- 108 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and María are meeting at a cafe.
- Mateo¡Hola, María! Pensé que no vendrías.Hi, María! I thought that you weren't coming.
- María¡Hola, Mateo! Sí, al final pude venir.Hi, Mateo! Yes, in the end I could come.
- MateoMe alegra mucho verte aquí.I am very happy to see you here.
- MaríaYo también, ¿pedimos un café?Me too, shall we order a coffee?
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
