Penser Expressions

Thinking French Phrases

French expressions with penser
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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
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
     
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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French expressions with penser

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