Pensar (To Think) — Full Conjugation

Pensar means to think — and in Portuguese it is a surprisingly picky verb, because it takes a different preposition depending on what kind of thinking you mean. You think em someone or something (direct your thoughts toward them), you think sobre a subject (reflect on it), you think de something (have an opinion about it), and you think que something is the case (assert a belief). A fifth pattern, pensar + infinitive, expresses intention (penso ir amanhã — I plan to go tomorrow). Each mental act calls for a different structure; English blurs them all into about or of.

Conjugation-wise, pensar is entirely regular as a first-conjugation (-ar) verb. The only form worth flagging explicitly is the EP 1pl preterite pensámos — with an acute accent distinguishing it from the identical-looking present pensamos. Beyond that, every form follows the standard -ar template.

Header

Present indicative — presente do indicativo

Imperfect indicative — pretérito imperfeito

The imperfect is the natural tense for past beliefs you no longer hold: pensava que era mais fácil — I thought it was easier (but I was wrong).

Preterite indicative — pretérito perfeito simples

The 1pl pensámos carries an acute accent in European Portuguese. In Brazilian Portuguese the accent is dropped and both tenses look identical.

Pluperfect indicative, simple — pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples

Pluperfect indicative, compound — pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto

Present perfect — pretérito perfeito composto

Tenho pensado muito em ti — I have been thinking about you a lot — is a very common use. The composto reaches back from now, covering a stretch of ongoing mental activity.

Simple future — futuro do indicativo simples

Future perfect — futuro perfeito

Conditional — condicional

Conditional perfect — condicional composto

Present subjunctive — presente do conjuntivo

Imperfect subjunctive — imperfeito do conjuntivo

Future subjunctive — futuro do conjuntivo

Present perfect subjunctive — pretérito perfeito do conjuntivo

Pluperfect subjunctive — pretérito mais-que-perfeito do conjuntivo

Future perfect subjunctive — futuro perfeito do conjuntivo

Imperative — imperativo

Affirmative:

Negative:

The imperative pensa bem! (think it over!) is one of the most useful. So is the emphatic nem penses! — don't even think about it! — a stock exclamation in everyday speech.

Personal infinitive — infinitivo pessoal

Compound personal infinitive — infinitivo pessoal composto

The five patterns

1. pensar em — to think about (direct thought toward)

The most common pattern. Use em whenever your thoughts are directed toward a person, a thing, an image, a memory, a plan — anything you can picture.

2. pensar sobre — to think about (reflect on a subject)

Used when the thought is more deliberate and intellectual — reflecting on a topic, essay-style. Sobre feels weightier than em.

The two can sometimes be swapped, but in casual speech penso em is the default; penso sobre sounds marked or formal.

3. pensar de — to have an opinion of

Used almost exclusively in the question o que pensas / acha / pensam de ...? — what do you think of ...?

Outside this frame, pensar de is rare. To ask for an opinion, Portuguese uses de; to direct thoughts, em. Don't substitute.

4. pensar que — to believe, to assert

With que, pensar expresses a belief — something you hold to be true. The subordinate clause takes the indicative when the main verb is affirmative, because you are asserting.

Polarity flip: negation triggers the subjunctive

When pensar que is negated, the belief is no longer asserted — it is denied, and the subordinate clause shifts to the subjunctive. This is the same polarity effect you see with achar que, crer que, acreditar que.

5. pensar + infinitive — to plan to, to intend to

A very common construction in European Portuguese. Pensar + infinitive expresses a plan or intention — what you mean to do.

English speakers often reach for thinking of going, which is close but looser. Portuguese pensar + infinitive is a firmer statement of intention than estar a pensar em + infinitive.

Pensar vs achar

Both translate as to think when expressing an opinion, and for most practical purposes they are interchangeable. The difference is tone:

• acho que — a little more casual, closer to English I reckon, I figure
• penso que — a little more deliberate, closer to I believe, I'd say

Both trigger the subjunctive when negated: não acho que tenha chegado / não penso que tenha chegado.

Example sentences in context

Common mistakes

Key takeaways

• Pensar is fully regular -ar. The EP 1pl preterite is pensámos with acute; the present is pensamos.
• Four prepositions or conjunctions, four meanings: em (direct thoughts at), sobre (reflect on a topic), de (have an opinion of — almost exclusively in o que pensas de...), que (assert a belief). A fifth pattern, pensar + infinitive, means to plan to.
• Affirmative pensar que takes the indicative; negated não pensar que flips to the subjunctive. The same polarity flip applies to achar que, crer que, acreditar que.
• Pensar + infinitive means to plan to, to intend to: penso ir amanhã. It is a firmer statement of intention than the periphrastic estar a pensar em + infinitive.
• Pensar and achar both express opinion; achar is casual (I reckon), pensar is a touch more considered (I'd say).
• In EP, the progressive is estar a pensar, not estar pensando (which is Brazilian).
• Useful imperatives: pensa bem! (think it over), nem penses! (don't even think about it).