pensaba
“pensaba” means “I was thinking” in Spanish (An ongoing thought process in the past. (For 'yo')).
I was thinking, he/she/you were thinkingAlso: I used to think, he/she/you used to think, I was planning to
📝 In Action
Mientras caminaba, pensaba en mis vacaciones.
A2While I was walking, I was thinking about my vacation.
Ella pensaba que la película empezaba a las ocho.
A2She thought the movie started at eight.
De niño, yo pensaba que podía hablar con los animales.
B1As a child, I used to think I could talk to animals.
Pensaba llamarte más tarde, pero se me hizo muy tarde.
B1I was planning to call you later, but it got too late for me.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pensaba
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence best describes a plan you had yesterday that you didn't do?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
📚 Etymology
Comes from the Latin verb 'pensāre', which meant 'to weigh' or 'to consider'. The idea of weighing something in your mind evolved into the modern meaning of 'to think'.
First recorded: Around the 10th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can 'pensaba' mean both 'I was thinking' and 'he was thinking'?
Yes, absolutely! In Spanish, the words for people (like 'yo', 'él', 'ella') are often left out because the verb ending tells you who is doing the action. So, 'pensaba' can mean 'I was thinking,' 'he was thinking,' 'she was thinking,' or even 'you (formal) were thinking.' You'll know who it is from the context of the conversation.
What's the difference between 'pensaba que...' and 'creía que...'?
They are very similar and often you can use either one to say 'I thought that...'. 'Pensaba' is more about the mental process of thinking it through, while 'creía' is more about holding a belief. But in everyday chat, don't worry too much—they're practically interchangeable.