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How to Say "they believe" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “they believe” is “creen” — use 'creen' when expressing faith, strong conviction, or a deeply held belief in something or someone.

English → Spanish

creen

KREH-enˈkɾe.en

VerbA1General
Use 'creen' when expressing faith, strong conviction, or a deeply held belief in something or someone.
Three diverse people standing together, looking upward with expressions of hope and conviction toward a single, brilliant, golden light in the sky, symbolizing shared belief or faith.

Examples

Ellos creen en la justicia.

They believe in justice.

¿Ustedes creen en el destino?

Do you (all) believe in destiny?

Muchas culturas antiguas creen en múltiples dioses.

Many ancient cultures believe in multiple gods.

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).

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'.

piensan

pee-EN-sahnˈpjɛn.san

VerbA1General
Use 'piensan' when expressing an opinion, thought, or what someone considers to be true.
A colorful storybook illustration showing a boy and a girl sitting quietly, both with thought bubbles containing a simple lightbulb symbol above their heads, signifying that they are thinking.

Examples

¿Qué piensan ustedes sobre el nuevo plan?

What do you all think about the new plan?

Ellos piensan viajar a España este verano.

They are planning (or thinking of) traveling to Spain this summer.

Mis amigos piensan que la película fue aburrida.

My friends believe that the movie was boring.

The E → IE Change

The vowel 'e' changes to 'ie' in almost all forms of the present tense (like 'pienso,' 'piensan,' 'piensas'), but not for 'nosotros' or 'vosotros' (pensamos, pensáis).

Thinking ABOUT vs. Thinking OF/BELIEVING

To talk about the subject you are mentally focusing on, use 'pensar en' (Ellos piensan en el futuro). To give an opinion, use 'pensar que' (Ellos piensan que es tarde).

Forgetting the Stem Change

Mistake: “Mis padres pensan ir.”

Correction: Mis padres piensan ir. Remember the vowel change (e becomes ie) in this form.

Mixing Prepositions

Mistake: “Piensan sobre el trabajo.”

Correction: Piensan en el trabajo. Use 'pensar en' when meaning 'to meditate on' or 'focus on'.

Opinion vs. Conviction

The most common mistake is using 'creen' for everyday opinions. Remember, 'creen' implies a stronger sense of faith or conviction, while 'piensan' is for what someone thinks or opines.

Related Translations

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