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ITALIAN VERB

pensare

to think (pensare a, to think of)

  • #17 most used
  • Regular -are verb
  • Past participle: pensato
  • Gerund: pensando

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. io I think
  2. tu you think
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she thinks
  4. noi we think
  5. voi you all think
  6. loro they think

Past

Passato prossimo · finished actions: “ho parlato”

  1. io I thought
  2. tu you thought
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she thought
  4. noi we thought
  5. voi you all thought
  6. loro they thought

Imperfect

Imperfetto · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. io I used to think
  2. tu you used to think
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she used to think
  4. noi we used to think
  5. voi you all used to think
  6. loro they used to think

Future

Futuro semplice · plans and guesses

  1. io I will think
  2. tu you will think
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she will think
  4. noi we will think
  5. voi you all will think
  6. loro they will think

Conditional

Condizionale · “would”, polite requests

  1. io I would think
  2. tu you would think
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she would think
  4. noi we would think
  5. voi you all would think
  6. loro they would think

Present subjunctive

Congiuntivo presente · wishes, doubts, “che …”

  1. io (that) I think
  2. tu (that) you think
  3. lui, lei, Lei (that) he/she think
  4. noi (that) we think
  5. voi (that) you all think
  6. loro (that) they think

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders: tu, Lei, noi, voi

  1. tu think!
  2. Lei think! (formal)
  3. noi think! (let’s)
  4. voi think! (all of you)

How to use pensare

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Penso spesso a mia nonna.

    I often think of my grandmother.

  2. Past

    Ho pensato a te tutto il giorno.

    I thought about you all day.

  3. Imperfect

    Pensavo di uscire, ma piove.

    I was thinking of going out, but it's raining.

  4. Future

    Ci penserò e ti dico domani.

    I'll think about it and tell you tomorrow.

  5. Conditional

    Penserei prima ai bambini, poi al resto.

    I'd think of the children first, then the rest.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Non voglio che pensiate male di lui.

    I don't want you to think badly of him.

  7. Imperative

    Pensaci bene prima di decidere.

    Think it over carefully before deciding.

Good to know

  • Pensare a is to think of or about someone or something; pensare di is to think of doing: penso di partire.
  • Ci penso io is I'll take care of it.

Where you hear pensare

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Italian · Intermediate Level 1

  • Penso sempre a Fontelupo. I always think of Fontelupo.
  • Ho pensato a te tutta la settimana. I thought of you all week.
  • Ci penserò stasera. I'll think about it tonight.

Italian · Intermediate Level 2

  • Penso sempre a Fontelupo. I always think of Fontelupo.
  • Ho pensato a te tutta la settimana. I thought of you all week.
  • Ci penserò stasera. I'll think about it tonight.
27
Hilde's Offer

Intermediate Level 1 · Grazie, signora. Ci penso. · Certo. Non c'è fretta. Ci pensi.

Needs a subscription 1
Arriving at the Masseria

Intermediate Level 2 · Penso che sia la più bella di Puglia. · Penso di sì. · Penso che Lei sia la persona giusta.

Free 5
Chiara Arrives

Intermediate Level 2 · Penso che venga anche lui domenica.

Needs a subscription 7
The Menu Meeting

Intermediate Level 2 · Che ne pensa del pesce?

Needs a subscription 14
Chiara in Love

Intermediate Level 2 · No. Pensi che lui mi ami?

Needs a subscription 15
Advice at Night

Intermediate Level 2 · No. Penso sempre a Ciro.

Needs a subscription 19
Pietro's Question

Intermediate Level 2 · Sì. Ci penso da mesi.

Needs a subscription 23
Donato's Offer

Intermediate Level 2 · Non deve rispondere oggi. Ci pensi. · Grazie. Ci penso, prometto.

Needs a subscription 27
Saying No to Donato

Intermediate Level 2 · Ha pensato alla mia offerta?

Needs a subscription 29
The Drive North

Intermediate Level 2 · Pensa se non fossi venuta. · Non ci voglio pensare!

Needs a subscription 13
The Quay

Intermediate Level 3 · Chissà cosa pensò, quel giorno.

Needs a subscription 15
Calling Nonna from the Quay

Intermediate Level 3 · E tu? Cosa hai pensato? · Ho pensato: non li vedrò mai più.

Needs a subscription

And 13 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -are verb.