Inklingo

How to Say "think" in Spanish

English → Spanish

piensa

/pyen-sa//ˈpjensa/

Verb (Command)A2Informal
Use this informal command when telling one person ('tú') to actively engage their mind or consider something.
A simple illustration showing a friendly character with a surprised expression, pointing to their own head with a finger, urging another character to stop and use their mind.

Examples

Antes de responder, piensa un momento.

Before you answer, think for a moment.

¡Piensa en las consecuencias!

Think about the consequences!

Piensa bien lo que vas a decir.

Think carefully about what you are going to say.

Giving Informal Commands

Piensa is how you tell a friend or someone you call tú to 'think'. It's the affirmative command form. Notice it looks just like the 'he/she thinks' form.

Command vs. Statement

Mistake: “¡Tú piensas en eso!”

Correction: ¡Piensa en eso! To make a positive command for `tú`, you drop the final '-s' from the regular `piensas` form.

piense

pee-EN-seh/ˈpjense/

VerbA1Formal/Subjunctive
Use this form when expressing an opinion, a mental reflection, or in the subjunctive mood, often when hoping or doubting something about another's thoughts.
A young person sits quietly, resting their chin on their hand, deep in contemplation. A simple white thought bubble hovers above their head.

Examples

Espero que mi jefe piense que hice un buen trabajo.

I hope my boss thinks I did a good job.

No creo que Juan piense en el futuro.

I don't think Juan thinks about the future.

Dile a tu amigo que piense bien antes de decidir.

Tell your friend to think carefully before deciding. (Formal command, 'usted')

The Subjunctive Mood

'Piense' is the special verb form (subjunctive) used when the sentence expresses doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty about the act of thinking. It usually follows words like 'espero que' (I hope that) or 'no creo que' (I don't believe that).

Stem Change Reminder

The infinitive is 'pensar,' but the root vowel 'e' changes to 'ie' in many forms, including 'piense.' This change happens to keep the sound consistent.

Indicative vs. Subjunctive

Mistake: “No creo que él piensa.”

Correction: No creo que él piense. (When you express doubt or negation, Spanish requires the subjunctive form 'piense,' not the standard present form 'piensa.')

Command vs. Opinion/Subjunctive

The most common mistake is confusing the informal command 'piensa' (think!) with 'piense,' which is used for expressing opinions or in subjunctive contexts. Remember 'piensa' is a direct instruction, while 'piense' often relates to what someone else might be thinking or a hoped-for outcome.

Related Translations

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