pensé
pen-SEH
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Pensé que la película empezaba más tarde.
A2I thought the movie started later.
Lo pensé mejor y decidí quedarme en casa.
B1I thought it over and decided to stay home.
Pensé en ti todo el día.
A2I thought about you all day.
Pensé llamarte, pero se me hizo muy tarde.
B1I planned to call you, but it got too late.
💡 Grammar Points
Talking About a Completed Thought: The Preterite Tense
'Pensé' is used for thoughts that happened at a specific point in the past and are now finished. It's like saying 'I had a thought, and it's over.' For example, 'Ayer pensé en la playa' (Yesterday I thought about the beach).
'Pensé' vs. 'Pensaba'
Use 'pensé' for a single, completed thought. Use 'pensaba' (I was thinking / I used to think) for ongoing thoughts in the past, like 'De niño, pensaba que los monstruos eran reales' (As a child, I used to think monsters were real).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Accent Mark
Mistake: "Yo pense que era buena idea."
Correction: Yo pensé que era buena idea. The accent on the 'é' is crucial! It changes the sound and tells you that 'I' did the action in the past. Without it, 'pense' is a different form used for commands or wishes.
⭐ Usage Tips
Expressing an Opinion You No Longer Hold
You can use 'pensé que...' to talk about something you used to believe but now know is different. For example, 'Pensé que eras de México, pero eres de Colombia' (I thought you were from Mexico, but you're from Colombia).
Talking About Intentions
When you follow 'pensé' with another action verb (like 'ir', 'llamar', 'comprar'), it means 'I planned to' or 'I intended to'. For example, 'Pensé ir al cine, pero no tuve tiempo' (I planned to go to the movies, but I didn't have time).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pensé
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'pensé' to talk about a completed thought in the past?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'pensé' and 'pensaba'?
Think of 'pensé' as a snapshot and 'pensaba' as a video. 'Pensé' is for a single, completed thought ('At that moment, I thought it was a good idea'). 'Pensaba' is for ongoing thoughts or beliefs in the past ('When I was young, I used to think...').
Why does 'pensé' have an accent mark but 'pensaste' doesn't?
Great question! In this past tense (the preterite), the accent mark on the last letter for the 'yo' (I) and 'él/ella' (he/she) forms is a rule. It tells you where to put the stress on the word. For other forms like 'pensaste' (you thought), the stress naturally falls in the right place without needing an accent.
Can I say 'Yo pensé en que...'?
Almost! The correct way is 'Yo pensé que...' (I thought that...). You don't need the word 'en' in this case. You use 'pensar en' when you are thinking *about* someone or something, like 'Pensé en mi familia' (I thought about my family).