Thinking French Phrases
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The French verb penser, “to think,” is found in many idiomatic expressions, including a way of thinking, one-track mind, and you must be joking. Learn these and dozens of other French expressions featuring penser.
Penser translations
- to think
- to think about
- to consider
- to have on one’s mind
- to hope to
- to intend to
Penser expressions
| penser à | to think about, have in mind; to think of, remember | ||
| penser à l’avenir | to think of the future | ||
| penser à tout | to think of everything | ||
| penser aux conséquences | to think of the consequences | ||
| penser au danger | to think about / consider the danger | ||
| penser de | to think about, have an opinion on |
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| penser du bien de | to have a high opinion about | ||
| penser du mal de | to have a low opinion about | ||
| penser faire | to think about, consider doing | ||
| penser le plus grande bien de | to think very highly of | ||
| penser tout haut | to think out loud |
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| À quoi penses-tu / pensez-vous ? | What are you thinking about? | ||
| Ça ne vaut pas la peine d’y penser. | It’s not worth thinking about. | ||
| C’est bien ce que je pensais ! | Just what I thought! That’s what I thought! | ||
| C’est bien pensé. | It’s well thought out. | ||
| C’est fortement pensé. | It’s well thought out. | ||
| Elle ne pense qu’à ça. | (informal) | She has a one-track mind. | |
| faire qqun penser à | to make someone think of / remind someone of | ||
| Fais / Faites m’y penser. | Remind me about that, Don’t let me forget that. | ||
| Honi soit qui mal y pense | Shame on anyone who thinks evil of it, This person has hidden evil intentions | ||
| Il ne pense qu’à ça. | (informal) | He has a one-track mind. | |
| Il suffit d’y penser. | It’s just a matter of thinking about it. | ||
| J’ai bien autre chose à penser. | (informal) | I have other things on my mind. | |
| Je pense bien | I think so | ||
| Je pense comme toi / vous. | I agree with you. | ||
| Je pense, donc je suis. | I think, therefore I am. | ||
| Je pense que non | I don’t think so, I think not. | ||
| Je pense que oui | I think so. | ||
| Je pense que si | I think so (in reponse to a negative) | ||
| Mais j’y pense … | I just remembered … | ||
| Penses-tu ! Pensez-vous ! | You must be joking! | ||
| Penses-y / Pensez-y avant de … | Think about it before … | ||
| Que penses-tu / pensez-vous de … ? | What do you think, How do you feel about … ? | ||
| Qu’est-ce que tu en penses ? | What do you think (about it)? | ||
| Qu’en pensez-vous ? | What do you think (about it)? | ||
| Tout laisse à penser que… | There is every indication that… | ||
| Tu penses ! Vous pensez ! | Not likely! | ||
| Tu penses que je vais … ! | (informal) | You bet I’m going to … ! | |
| Tu penses / Vous pensez bien que … | You can imagine that, As you’d expect … | ||
| Tu vois à qui / quoi je pense ? | You see whom / What I’m thinking of? | ||
| une façon de penser | a way of thinking | ||
| la machine à penser | thinking machine | ||
| un maître à penser | intellectual leader | ||
| quelque chose qui donne à penser | something that gives you food for thought, something to think about | ||
| quelque chose qui laisse à penser | something that gives you food for thought, something to think about | ||
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