How to Say "i believed" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “i believed” is “creí” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Creí que la película empezaba a las siete.
I thought the movie started at seven.
Siempre creí en tu capacidad para lograrlo.
I always believed in your ability to achieve it.
Por un segundo, creí que me llamabas a mí.
For a second, I thought you were calling me.
A Specific Past Action
Creí is used for a belief or thought that happened at a specific, finished moment in the past. Think of it as a single event: 'At that moment, I thought...'
Spelling Change Alert!
The verb creer changes its spelling for 'he/she' (creyó) and 'they' (creyeron) in this past tense. The 'i' becomes a 'y'. This happens with other verbs like leer (to read) and oír (to hear).
A Moment vs. A Period of Time (`Creí` vs. `Creía`)
Mistake: “Cuando era niño, creí en los Reyes Magos.”
Correction: Cuando era niño, creía en los Reyes Magos. (When I was a child, I used to believe in the Three Wise Men.) Use `creía` for ongoing beliefs or thoughts in the past, and `creí` for a single, completed thought or a belief that ended abruptly.
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.