Ways to say it
| French |
|---|
| penser à |
| réfléchir à |
| songer à |
The French language offers different ways to express the act of thinking depending on whether you are directing your thoughts toward a person or object, or if you are engaging in a process of deliberation. The noun forms related to this act are pensée, meaning an act of thinking and réflexion, also meaning an act of thinking.
Which one should you use?
Use penser à when your thought is directed toward a specific person, object or memory (equivalent to 'think of' or 'think about'). Use réfléchir à when the meaning is to deliberate, consider or use logic to solve a problem (equivalent to 'reflect on').
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When you use the verb to express an opinion or a belief followed by a clause (for example, 'I think that…'), you do not use the preposition 'à'. Instead, you drop 'à' and replace it with 'que', such as in Je pense que…
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using penser de to mean 'think of' in the sense of a memory or a person. In French, penser de is specifically used when asking for or expressing an opinion, such as in the question Que penses-tu de ce film ?
Did you know?
- French uses the word pensée both for a 'thought' and for the 'pansy' flower. The flower was named this because its petals are said to resemble a human face in deep thought.
- French has a distinct verb panser which looks and sounds almost exactly like penser. While the latter is for thinking, the former specifically means to dress a wound or treat a sore.
- When French speakers use réfléchir, they are using a word that literally means 'to bend back'. This mirrors the English 'reflect', but the physical sense of bending is more prominent in the French root fléchir.
Examples in context
- Dois-je penser à tout ?Do I have to think of everything?This sentence is useful for asking if you need to think of everything using penser à.Tatoeba #7291098 by tras, translation #7290403 by Hybrid
- Ça me fait penser à toi.This makes me think of you.This sentence shows how something can make you think of someone using penser à.Tatoeba #4551129 by sacredceltic, translation #3423972 by AlanF_US
- Cela m'a fait penser à toi.That made me think of you.This sentence shows how a past event made you think of someone using penser à.Tatoeba #7794033 by Aiji, translation #5254466 by AlanF_US
- Je considère que c'est une bonne idéeI think it's a good idea
- J'estime qu'il est important d'apprendre le françaisI think it is important to learn French
- Je pense que tu as raisonI think you are right
- Je pense que cela doit être faitI think this must be done
- Je trouve que c'est génialI think it's great
- J'ai l'impression qu'il va pleuvoirI think it's going to rain
- Je pense vraiment que c'est une bonne idéeI really think it's a good idea
- Je pense que ouiI think so
- Je pense que nonI don't think so
- Qu'est-ce que tu en penses?What do you think about it?
- Je pense que c'est possible, mais je ne suis pas sûr.I think it's possible, but I'm not sure.
- 110 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are planning a weekend trip.
- HugoTu penses à prendre un parapluie ?Are you thinking about taking an umbrella?
- ChloéOh non, je n'y ai pas pensé !Oh no, I didn't think of it!
- HugoIl faut penser à tout pour ce voyage.We have to think of everything for this trip.
- ChloéTu as raison, Hugo.You are right, Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “think” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries penser, réfléchir, songer, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
