creen
/KREH-en/
they believe
Creen, meaning 'they believe' or 'you all believe,' is illustrated by a group sharing a conviction or faith.
creen(Verb)
they believe
?expressing faith or conviction
you (plural, formal) believe
?addressing a group respectfully
📝 In Action
Ellos creen en la justicia.
A2They believe in justice.
¿Ustedes creen en el destino?
A2Do you (all) believe in destiny?
Muchas culturas antiguas creen en múltiples dioses.
B1Many ancient cultures believe in multiple gods.
💡 Grammar Points
Who are 'they'?
'Creen' is the form for 'ellos' (a group of men, or mixed), 'ellas' (a group of women), and 'ustedes' (you all, formal or informal depending on the region).
Believing 'in' something
To say you believe in a person, idea, or concept, always use the little word 'en' after the verb. For example, 'Ellos creen en ti' (They believe in you).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting 'en'
Mistake: "Mis amigos creen la magia."
Correction: Mis amigos creen en la magia. (My friends believe in magic.) When talking about faith or belief in a concept, you need to add 'en'.
Creen, meaning 'they think' or 'they suppose,' is visualized by a group collaborating on a shared idea.
creen(Verb)
they think
?expressing an opinion or supposition
you (plural, formal) think
?asking for a group's opinion
📝 In Action
Ellos creen que es una buena idea.
A1They think that it's a good idea.
¿Por qué creen que el proyecto fracasó?
B1Why do they think the project failed?
Los expertos creen que la economía mejorará pronto.
B2The experts think the economy will improve soon.
💡 Grammar Points
Expressing Opinions with 'que'
To share an opinion, the structure is simple: 'creen que' + the idea. For example, 'Creen que el libro es interesante' (They think that the book is interesting).
❌ Common Pitfalls
A tricky verb change for negative opinions
Mistake: "No creen que es posible."
Correction: No creen que sea posible. (They don't think it's possible.) When you say you *don't* believe something, Spanish often requires a special verb form (the subjunctive) for the thing you doubt.
⭐ Usage Tips
'Creer' vs. 'Pensar'
They are often interchangeable for 'to think'. 'Creer' can feel slightly more like a gut feeling or a settled opinion, while 'pensar' can be more about an active thought process.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: creen
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses 'creen' to express a belief in a concept?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'creen' and 'piensan'?
They are very similar and often interchangeable when expressing an opinion. However, 'creen' can imply a stronger conviction or a gut feeling ('I believe this to be true'), while 'piensan' can relate more to an active mental process or thought ('I'm thinking this over'). For everyday opinions like 'They think it will rain,' you can use either.
Is 'creen' for 'they' or for 'you'?
Both! It's for 'ellos/ellas' (they) and for 'ustedes' (you all). You can tell who it is from the context of the conversation. For example, if I'm talking *about* my friends, 'creen' means 'they believe'. If I'm talking *to* my friends respectfully, 'creen' means 'you all believe'.
Why does 'creer' sometimes change to 'creyó' or 'creyeron'?
This is a common spelling rule in Spanish. When an '-er' or '-ir' verb stem ends in a vowel (like 'cre-' in creer), the 'i' of the ending changes to a 'y' in some past tense forms to make it easier to pronounce. You see the same thing in 'leer' (leyó, leyeron) and 'oír' (oyó, oyeron).