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pensamientos

pen-sah-MYEN-tohs/pensamjenˈtos/

“pensamientos” means “thoughts” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

thoughts

Also: reflections, ideas
NounmA1
A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration of a young person sitting quietly, deep in thought. A small, glowing lightbulb is floating above their head, symbolizing an idea or mental activity.

📝 In Action

Tengo muchos pensamientos sobre la vida después del trabajo.

A1

I have many thoughts about life after work.

Sus pensamientos están siempre con su familia.

A2

His thoughts are always with his family.

Esos fueron mis primeros pensamientos al escuchar la noticia.

B1

Those were my first thoughts upon hearing the news.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ideas (ideas)
  • reflexiones (reflections)

Common Collocations

  • estar en mis pensamientos – to be on my mind
  • perderse en sus pensamientos – to get lost in one's thoughts

pansies

Also: violas
NounmB2
A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration showing a cluster of three vibrant pansy flowers (Viola tricolor) with purple, yellow, and white petals blooming in green grass.

📝 In Action

Los pensamientos son flores de invierno que dan mucho color al jardín.

B2

Pansies are winter flowers that give a lot of color to the garden.

Necesito comprar una maceta de pensamientos morados.

B2

I need to buy a pot of purple pansies.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • viola (viola)

Common Collocations

  • sembrar pensamientos – to sow pansies

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "pensamientos" in Spanish:

ideas→pansies→reflections→thoughts→violas→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pensamientos

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'pensamientos' in its secondary meaning (the flower)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the verb *pensar* (to think), which evolved from the Latin verb *pensāre*, meaning 'to weigh' or 'to consider'. The flower, the pansy, was given this name because its markings were thought to resemble a small face bowed in deep contemplation or thought.

First recorded: The Latin root dates back to antiquity. The Spanish noun form appeared in the Middle Ages.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: pensamentosFrench: pensées

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'pensamiento' and 'pensamientos'?

'Pensamiento' (singular) means 'a single thought' or 'the faculty of thinking' in general. 'Pensamientos' (plural) is used for multiple specific ideas, reflections, or the common name of the pansy flower.

Can I use 'pensamientos' to mean 'mind'?

Not directly. While it refers to what is happening in the mind, the Spanish word for 'mind' is usually *mente*. You might say 'Está en mis pensamientos' (It's in my thoughts/on my mind), but you wouldn't say 'Mi pensamientos está cansado' (My mind is tired).