Ella VerbsHow to conjugate Pensar in Spanish
To think, to believe Irregular Verb Top 100
At a glance: Pensar (to think, to believe) is one of the most common irregular verbs in Spanish. In the present tense: pienso, piensas, piensa, pensamos, pensáis, piensan. Its irregularities include: Add an i before e for all but nosotras and vosotras in the indicative present (which therefore affects the subjunctive present and the imperatives).
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Indicative tenses of Pensar
- Pensar in the Indicative Present
- Pensar in the Indicative Preterite
- Pensar in the Indicative Imperfect
- Pensar in the Indicative Present Continuous
- Pensar in the Indicative Informal Future
- Pensar in the Indicative Future
- Pensar in the Indicative Conditional
- Pensar in the Indicative Present Perfect
- Pensar in the Indicative Past Perfect
- Pensar in the Indicative Future Perfect
- Pensar in the Indicative Conditional Perfect
- Subjunctive tenses of Pensar
- Imperative tenses of Pensar
- Example sentences and usage
- Frequently asked questions
- Downloadable cheat sheet (PDF)
- Practice Pensar conjugations (free mobile app)
Introduction
Pensar is the Spanish verb meaning "to think". It is very simple to use, with a small number of use cases. For example: To reflect about something, to believe/ to think about something, to intend to do, or to plan something (estoy pensando empezar clases de español).
Similar verbs to pensar include: considerar (to consider).
| Item | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive | pensar | to think, to believe |
| Past participle | pensado | thought |
| Gerund | pensando | thinking |
Indicative Tenses of Pensar
Pensar in the Indicative Present
The Indicative Present of pensar is used to talk about situations, events or thoughts that are happening now or in the near future. It is also used to talk about facts and truths. For example, "pienso", meaning "I think".
In Spanish, the Indicative Present is known as "El Presente".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | pienso | I think |
| Tú | piensas | you think |
| Ella / Él / Usted | piensa | s/he thinks |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | pensamos | we think |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | pensáis | you (plural) think |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | piensan | they think |
The red dot () above denotes an irregular conjugation.
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Pensar in the Indicative Preterite
The Indicative Preterite of pensar is used to talk about actions completed in the past, at a specific point in time. For example, "pensé", meaning "I thought".
In Spanish, the Indicative Preterite is known as "El Pretérito Indefinido".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | pensé | I thought |
| Tú | pensaste | you thought |
| Ella / Él / Usted | pensó | s/he thought |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | pensamos | we thought |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | pensasteis | you (plural) thought |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | pensaron | they thought |
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Pensar in the Indicative Imperfect
The Indicative Imperfect of pensar is used to describe regular and repeated actions that happened in the past and descriptions of things you used to do. For example, "pensaba", meaning "I used to think".
In Spanish, the Indicative Imperfect is known as "El Pretérito Imperfecto".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | pensaba | I used to think |
| Tú | pensabas | you used to think |
| Ella / Él / Usted | pensaba | s/he used to think |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | pensábamos | we used to think |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | pensabais | you (plural) used to think |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | pensaban | they used to think |
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Pensar in the Indicative Present Continuous
The Indicative Present Continuous of pensar is used to talk about something that is happening continuously or right now. For example, "estoy pensando", meaning "I am thinking".
In Spanish, the Indicative Present Continuous is known as "El Presente Progresivo".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | estoy pensando | I am thinking |
| Tú | estás pensando | you are thinking |
| Ella / Él / Usted | está pensando | s/he is thinking |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | estamos pensando | we are thinking |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | estáis pensando | you (plural) are thinking |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | están pensando | they are thinking |
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Pensar in the Indicative Informal Future
The Indicative Informal Future of pensar is used to talk about something that will happen in the future, especially in the near future. For example, "voy a pensar", meaning "I am going to think".
In Spanish, the Indicative Informal Future is known as "El Futuro Próximo".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | voy a pensar | I am going to think |
| Tú | vas a pensar | you are going to think |
| Ella / Él / Usted | va a pensar | s/he is going to think |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | vamos a pensar | we are going to think |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | vais a pensar | you (plural) are going to think |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | van a pensar | they are going to think |
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Pensar in the Indicative Future
The Indicative Future of pensar is used to talk about something that will happen in the future. For example, "pensaré", meaning "I will think".
In Spanish, the Indicative Future is known as "El Futuro Simple".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | pensaré | I will think |
| Tú | pensarás | you will think |
| Ella / Él / Usted | pensará | s/he will think |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | pensaremos | we will think |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | pensaréis | you (plural) will think |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | pensarán | they will think |
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Pensar in the Indicative Conditional
The Indicative Conditional of pensar is used to talk about something that may happen in the future, hypothesis and probabilities. For example, "pensaría", meaning "I would think".
In Spanish, the Indicative Conditional is known as "El Condicional Simple".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | pensaría | I would think |
| Tú | pensarías | you would think |
| Ella / Él / Usted | pensaría | s/he would think |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | pensaríamos | we would think |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | pensaríais | you (plural) would think |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | pensarían | they would think |
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Pensar in the Indicative Present Perfect
The Indicative Present Perfect of pensar is used to describe actions that started recently (in the past) and are still happening now or things that have been done recently. For example, "he pensado", meaning "I have thought".
In Spanish, the Indicative Present Perfect is known as "El Pretérito Perfecto".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | he pensado | I have thought |
| Tú | has pensado | you have thought |
| Ella / Él / Usted | ha pensado | s/he has thought |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | hemos pensado | we have thought |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | habéis pensado | you (plural) have thought |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | han pensado | they have thought |
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Pensar in the Indicative Past Perfect
The Indicative Past Perfect of pensar is used to talk about actions that happened before another action in the past. For example, "había pensado", meaning "I had thought".
In Spanish, the Indicative Past Perfect is known as "El Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | había pensado | I had thought |
| Tú | habías pensado | you had thought |
| Ella / Él / Usted | había pensado | s/he had thought |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | habíamos pensado | we had thought |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | habíais pensado | you (plural) had thought |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | habían pensado | they had thought |
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Pensar in the Indicative Future Perfect
The Indicative Future Perfect of pensar is used to talk about something that will have happened in the future after something else has already happened. For example, "habré pensado", meaning "I will have thought".
In Spanish, the Indicative Future Perfect is known as "El Futuro Perfecto".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | habré pensado | I will have thought |
| Tú | habrás pensado | you will have thought |
| Ella / Él / Usted | habrá pensado | s/he will have thought |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | habremos pensado | we will have thought |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | habréis pensado | you (plural) will have thought |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | habrán pensado | they will have thought |
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Pensar in the Indicative Conditional Perfect
The Indicative Conditional Perfect of pensar is used to talk about something that would have happened in the past but didn’t due to another action. For example, "habría pensado", meaning "I would have thought".
In Spanish, the Indicative Conditional Perfect is known as "El Condicional Perfecto".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | habría pensado | I would have thought |
| Tú | habrías pensado | you would have thought |
| Ella / Él / Usted | habría pensado | s/he would have thought |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | habríamos pensado | we would have thought |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | habríais pensado | you (plural) would have thought |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | habrían pensado | they would have thought |
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Subjunctive Tenses of Pensar
Pensar in the Subjunctive Present
The Subjunctive Present is used to talk about situations of uncertainty, or emotions such as wishes, desires and hopes. It differs from the indicative mood due to the uncertainty of the events which are being spoken about. For example, "piense", meaning "I think".
In Spanish, the Subjunctive Present is known as "El Presente de Subjuntivo".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | piense | I think |
| Tú | pienses | you think |
| Ella / Él / Usted | piense | s/he thinks |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | pensemos | we think |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | penséis | you (plural) think |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | piensen | they think |
The red dot () above denotes an irregular conjugation.
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Pensar in the Subjunctive Imperfect
The Subjunctive Imperfect is used to speak about unlikely or uncertain events in the past or to cast an opinion (emotional) about something that happened in the past. For example, "pensara", meaning "I thought".
In Spanish, the Subjunctive Imperfect is known as "El Imperfecto Subjuntivo".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | pensara | I thought |
| Tú | pensaras | you thought |
| Ella / Él / Usted | pensara | s/he thought |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | pensáramos | we thought |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | pensarais | you (plural) thought |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | pensaran | they thought |
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Pensar in the Subjunctive Future
The Subjunctive Future is used to speak about hypothetical situations, and actions/events that may happen in the future. For example, "pensare", meaning "I will think".
In Spanish, the Subjunctive Future is known as "El Futuro de Subjuntivo".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | pensare | I will think |
| Tú | pensares | you will think |
| Ella / Él / Usted | pensare | s/he will think |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | pensáremos | we will think |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | pensareis | you (plural) will think |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | pensaren | they will think |
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Pensar in the Subjunctive Present Perfect
The Subjunctive Present Perfect is used to describe past actions or events that are still connected to the present day and to speak about an action that will have happened by a certain time in the future. For example, "haya pensado", meaning "I have thought".
In Spanish, the Subjunctive Present Perfect is known as "El Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | haya pensado | I have thought |
| Tú | hayas pensado | you have thought |
| Ella / Él / Usted | haya pensado | s/he has thought |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | hayamos pensado | we have thought |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | hayáis pensado | you (plural) have thought |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | hayan pensado | they have thought |
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Pensar in the Subjunctive Past Perfect
The Subjunctive Past Perfect is used to speak about hypothetical situations, and actions/events that occurred before other actions/events in the past. For example, "hubiera pensado", meaning "I had thought".
In Spanish, the Subjunctive Past Perfect is known as "El Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | hubiera pensado | I had thought |
| Tú | hubieras pensado | you had thought |
| Ella / Él / Usted | hubiera pensado | s/he had thought |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | hubiéramos pensado | we had thought |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | hubierais pensado | you (plural) had thought |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | hubieran pensado | they had thought |
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Pensar in the Subjunctive Future Perfect
The Subjunctive Future Perfect is used to speak about something that will have happened if a hypothetical situations occurs in the future. For example, "hubiere pensado", meaning "I will have thought".
In Spanish, the Subjunctive Future Perfect is known as "El Futuro Perfecto de Subjuntivo".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | hubiere pensado | I will have thought |
| Tú | hubieres pensado | you will have thought |
| Ella / Él / Usted | hubiere pensado | s/he will have thought |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | hubiéremos pensado | we will have thought |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | hubiereis pensado | you (plural) will have thought |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | hubieren pensado | they will have thought |
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Imperative Tenses of Pensar
Pensar in the Imperative Affirmative
The Imperative Affirmative is used to give orders and commands, to tell someone to do something. For example, "piense", meaning "(to you formal) think!".
In Spanish, the Imperative Affirmative is known as "El Imperativo Afirmativo".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | - | - |
| Tú | piensa | (to you) think! |
| Ella / Él / Usted | piense | (to you formal) think! |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | pensemos | let's think! |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | pensad | (to you plural) think! |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | piensen | (to you plural formal) think! |
The red dot () above denotes an irregular conjugation.
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Pensar in the Imperative Negative
The Imperative Negative is used to give orders and commands, telling someone not to do something. For example, "no piense", meaning "(to you formal) don't think!".
In Spanish, the Imperative Negative is known as "El Imperativo Negativo".
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | - | - |
| Tú | no pienses | (to you) don't think! |
| Ella / Él / Usted | no piense | (to you formal) don't think! |
| Nosotras / Nosotros | no pensemos | let's not think! |
| Vosotras / Vosotros | no penséis | (to you plural) don't think! |
| Ellas / Ellos / Ustedes | no piensen | (to you plural formal) don't think! |
The red dot () above denotes an irregular conjugation.
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Example sentences and usage
- Pensemos en lo peor que podría pasar. Let's consider the worst that could happen.
- ¡No puedes esperar de mí que yo siempre piense en todo! You can't expect me to always think of everything!
- ¡Ni siquiera pienses en comerte mi chocolate! Don't you even think of eating my chocolate!
- No pienso, luego no existo. I don't think, therefore I am not.
- Estoy impaciente por escuchar qué piensas de este tema. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.
- Yo pensé que era cierto. I thought it was true.
- Yo pienso que mejor hubieras tomado un descanso. I think you had better take a rest.
- A menudo pienso en el lugar donde te encontré. I often think about the place where I met you.
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Frequently asked questions about Pensar
Is pensar a regular or irregular verb?
Pensar is an irregular Spanish verb. Its irregularities include: Add an i before e for all but nosotras and vosotras in the indicative present (which therefore affects the subjunctive present and the imperatives).
How do you conjugate pensar in the present tense (presente)?
In the present tense (presente), pensar is conjugated as: yo pienso, tú piensas, él/ella/usted piensa, nosotros pensamos, vosotros pensáis, ellos/ellas/ustedes piensan. The present tense is used To talk about situations, events or thoughts that are happening now or in the near future. It is also used to talk about facts and truths.
How do you conjugate pensar in the preterite (pretérito indefinido)?
In the preterite (pretérito indefinido), pensar is conjugated as: yo pensé, tú pensaste, él/ella/usted pensó, nosotros pensamos, vosotros pensasteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes pensaron. The preterite is used To talk about actions completed in the past, at a specific point in time.
How do you conjugate pensar in the imperfect (pretérito imperfecto)?
In the imperfect (pretérito imperfecto), pensar is conjugated as: yo pensaba, tú pensabas, él/ella/usted pensaba, nosotros pensábamos, vosotros pensabais, ellos/ellas/ustedes pensaban. The imperfect is used To describe regular and repeated actions that happened in the past and descriptions of things you used to do.
How do you conjugate pensar in the future tense (futuro simple)?
In the future tense (futuro simple), pensar is conjugated as: yo pensaré, tú pensarás, él/ella/usted pensará, nosotros pensaremos, vosotros pensaréis, ellos/ellas/ustedes pensarán. The future tense is used To talk about something that will happen in the future.
How do you conjugate pensar in the present subjunctive (subjuntivo presente)?
In the present subjunctive (subjuntivo presente), pensar is conjugated as: yo piense, tú pienses, él/ella/usted piense, nosotros pensemos, vosotros penséis, ellos/ellas/ustedes piensen. The present subjunctive is used To talk about situations of uncertainty, or emotions such as wishes, desires and hopes. It differs from the indicative mood due to the uncertainty of the events which are being spoken about.
What are some common example sentences using pensar?
Here are everyday sentences using pensar: Pensemos en lo peor que podría pasar. (Let's consider the worst that could happen.) ¡No puedes esperar de mí que yo siempre piense en todo! (You can't expect me to always think of everything!) ¡Ni siquiera pienses en comerte mi chocolate! (Don't you even think of eating my chocolate!) No pienso, luego no existo. (I don't think, therefore I am not.) Estoy impaciente por escuchar qué piensas de este tema. (I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.)
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Downloadable cheat sheets
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Want to explore other verb conjugations?
Why not check out Percatarse – to realise, to notice or see the complete list of verbs here.
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Pensar: to think, to believe
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