I Think (Thinking & Believing) in Chinese 想法
xiǎngfǎ
I think in Chinese is 我觉得 (wǒ jué de).
Also searched for as: I think, think, believe, know.
What's going on in your head? 15 essential thinking & believing words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
Talking about what's in your head is where Mandarin starts to feel personal: the everyday way to say 'I think' is 觉得 (jué de), while 认为 (rèn wéi) sounds more considered and formal. One of the most useful words is 以为 (yǐ wéi), which means you thought something that turned out to be wrong. Together with 希望 (xī wàng), 'to hope', and 打算 (dǎ suàn), 'to plan', these words let you share opinions, beliefs and plans naturally.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 觉得 | jué de | to feel; to think |
| 认为 | rèn wéi | to believe; to consider |
| 以为 | yǐ wéi | to wrongly think |
| 希望 | xī wàng | to hope |
| 相信 | xiāng xìn | to believe |
| 记得 | jì de | to remember |
| 忘 | wàng | to forget |
| 明白 | míng bai | to understand |
| 打算 | dǎ suàn | to plan |
| 决定 | jué dìng | to decide |
| 担心 | dān xīn | to worry |
| 怕 | pà | to be afraid |
| 同意 | tóng yì | to agree |
| 想法 | xiǎng fǎ | idea; opinion |
| 注意 | zhù yì | to pay attention |
Usage tips
- Use 觉得 (jué de) for everyday opinions and feelings; 认为 (rèn wéi) suits meetings, essays and firmer judgements, so it can sound stiff in a casual chat.
- To ask someone's opinion, 你觉得呢？ (nǐ jué de ne?) is the natural, friendly 'What do you think?', while 你有什么想法？ (nǐ yǒu shén me xiǎng fǎ?) asks whether they have any ideas.
- 忘 (wàng) almost always takes 了 when something has already slipped your mind: 我忘了 (wǒ wàng le). For 'I don't remember', say 我不记得了 (wǒ bù jì de le).
Common mistakes
- Learners use 以为 (yǐ wéi) as a neutral 'think', but it implies you were wrong: 我以为他是老师 suggests he isn't a teacher after all. For a plain opinion, use 觉得 (jué de) or 认为 (rèn wéi).
- For 'I don't think he'll come', Mandarin usually negates the second half: 我觉得他不会来 (wǒ jué de tā bù huì lái). Starting with 我不觉得 can sound as if you're disagreeing with someone.
- Saying 我知道 (wǒ zhī dào), 'I know', when you mean 'I understand what you mean'. Use 我明白 (wǒ míng bai) or 我懂了 (wǒ dǒng le) instead.
Mini dialogue
- A你觉得这个电影怎么样？Nǐ jué de zhè ge diàn yǐng zěn me yàng?What did you think of the film?
- B还不错，可是我以为会更好看。Hái bù cuò, kě shì wǒ yǐ wéi huì gèng hǎo kàn.Not bad, but I thought it would be better.
- A我同意。下次你打算看什么？Wǒ tóng yì. Xià cì nǐ dǎ suàn kàn shén me?I agree. What are you planning to watch next time?
- B还没决定，希望是个喜剧。Hái méi jué dìng, xī wàng shì gè xǐ jù.I haven't decided yet. Hopefully a comedy.
Example sentences
- 我觉得这个很好。I think this is good.
- 我认为他是对的。I believe he's right.
- 我以为你是中国人。I thought you were Chinese.
- 希望明天是晴天。I hope tomorrow is sunny.
- 我相信你。I believe you.
- 你还记得我吗？Do you still remember me?
- 我忘了带钥匙。I forgot to bring my keys.
- 我明白你的意思。I understand what you mean.
- 你打算什么时候回国？When are you planning to go home?
- 我决定学中文。I've decided to learn Chinese.
- 别担心，没事。Don't worry, it's fine.
- 我怕狗。I'm scared of dogs.
- 我同意你的看法。I agree with your view.
- 你有什么想法？What do you think?
- 过马路要注意安全。Pay attention to safety when crossing the road.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Thinking & believing speaking island has 8 everyday questions about thinking & believing to prepare your own answers to.