Learn Hardcore French: Je trouve que cette somme est petite.

Literally, je trouve que means I find that, but in this kind of sentence it functions like I think that / I feel that / I find that in English, expressing an opinion.

Je trouve que cette somme est petite.
→ I think this amount is small. / I find this amount small.

So trouver que is a very common way to give your subjective judgment, similar to penser que or croire que, but with a slight nuance of personal evaluation (how it seems to you).

What is the difference between Je trouve que cette somme est petite and Je trouve cette somme petite?

Both are correct, but the structure and emphasis differ:

Je trouve que cette somme est petite.
- Grammar: main clause + que
  - full clause
    → Je trouve
    - que
      - cette somme est petite
- Closer to English: I think that this amount is small.
- Feels a bit more neutral, simply stating an opinion.
Je trouve cette somme petite.
- Grammar: verb + direct object + object complement (adjective)
  → Je trouve
  - cette somme
    - petite
- Closer to English: I find this amount small.
- Puts a bit more focus on your evaluation of cette somme itself.

In everyday speech, Je trouve que cette somme est petite is slightly more common and feels more conversational.
Je trouve cette somme petite is a bit more compact and can feel a touch more formal or written, though it is still perfectly normal.

Why is it cette somme and not ce somme or cet somme?

Because somme is a feminine noun.

une somme = a sum / an amount (of money)
Feminine singular demonstrative: cette
Masculine singular: ce (before a consonant) / cet (before a vowel or mute h)
Plural (both genders): ces

So:

cette somme = this sum / this amount
You could also have:
- ce livre (masc. sg., before consonant) = this book
- cet arbre (masc. sg., before vowel) = this tree
- ces sommes (plural) = these amounts

Why is it petite and not petit?

The adjective has to agree in gender and number with the noun it describes.

somme is feminine singular
The adjective petit therefore takes the feminine singular form petite

So:

Masculine singular: un petit livre
Feminine singular: une petite somme
Masculine plural: de petits livres
Feminine plural: de petites sommes

In your sentence, the thing described as small is cette somme (feminine singular), so the adjective must be petite, even though the grammatical subject of the verb est is also cette somme.

Where should the adjective go? Could I say Je trouve que cette petite somme est…?

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly.

Your original sentence:

Je trouve que cette somme est petite.
→ Neutral description: you are judging the size of the amount itself.

If you say:

Je trouve que cette petite somme est… (for example, est suffisante).

then petite is no longer the main new information; it becomes part of how you refer to the sum:

cette petite somme = this small sum (you are already calling it small as you introduce it)

So:

cette somme est petite → the main point of the sentence is that the sum is small
cette petite somme est… → you already characterize it as small, and then say something else about it

What is the role of que in Je trouve que cette somme est petite?

Here que is a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause (a that-clause in English):

Main clause: Je trouve
Conjunction: que
Subordinate clause: cette somme est petite

So the structure is:

Je trouve [que + sentence]

This is parallel to English:

I think [that + sentence]
I find [that + sentence]

You cannot replace que with de in this structure. Je trouve de cette somme est petite is incorrect. For opinion verbs followed by a full sentence, you use que.

Why is it est and not soit? Does Je trouve que… ever take the subjunctive?

By default, Je trouve que… is followed by the indicative, because you are presenting your opinion as a fact from your point of view.

Je trouve que cette somme est petite.
→ est (indicative) is normal and natural.

However, in negative or interrogative forms, or when you strongly emphasize subjectivity, you can sometimes see the subjunctive:

Je ne trouve pas que cette somme soit petite.
→ soit (subjunctive), often preferred after the negation.
Trouves‑tu que cette somme soit petite ?
→ subjunctive is possible here too.

But in your affirmative sentence, using soit would sound affected or literary. Stick with est.

Is there any difference between Je trouve que and Je pense que or Je crois que?

All three can translate I think that, but there are nuances:

Je pense que…
- Neutral, intellectual opinion or belief.
- Very close to I think that….
Je crois que…
- Similar to I believe that…, sometimes slightly more about personal belief or impression.
Je trouve que…
- Often carries a nuance of personal evaluation, judgment, or appreciation.
- Common when giving opinions on:
  - quantities: Je trouve que cette somme est petite.
  - qualities: Je trouve que ce film est long.
  - behavior: Je trouve qu’il est impoli.

In many everyday contexts, all three are interchangeable, but Je trouve que… often feels a bit more like a subjective assessment.

Is Je trouve que cette somme est petite more polite than just saying Cette somme est petite?

Yes, generally it is.

Cette somme est petite.
→ Sounds like a direct statement of fact.
Je trouve que cette somme est petite.
→ Softens the statement by marking it clearly as your personal opinion.
→ Similar to English: I think this amount is small vs This amount is small.

French often uses expressions like je trouve que, je pense que, à mon avis, je crois que to make opinions sound less blunt and more polite or diplomatic.

How is the sentence pronounced? Anything tricky, like silent letters or liaisons?

A standard careful pronunciation (in IPA) would be roughly:

Je trouve que cette somme est petite.
→ [ʒə tʁuv kə sɛt sɔm ɛ pətit]

Key points:

Je: often reduced to [ʒə] or even [ʒ] in fast speech.
trouve: pronounced [tʁuv]; final e is silent.
que: [kə]; the e can be very short or dropped in rapid speech → [k].
cette: [sɛt]; final e is silent.
somme: [sɔm]; final e is silent.
est: [ɛ]; no final consonant sound.
petite: [pətit]; the t is pronounced in the feminine form. In petit (masculine), the final t is normally silent: [pəti].

There is no special liaison that adds a new consonant here; just make sure petite has the final [t] sound.

Could I replace petite with another adjective like faible or basse? Would the meaning change?

You can, but the nuance changes:

petite
- Very general: small / not much.
- Neutral, widely used for size, quantity, age, etc.
faible
- Literally: weak / low / not strong.
- For money, une somme faible often suggests insufficient, not very significant in a more formal or evaluative tone.
basse
- bas / basse usually describes a low level (prices, rates, voices, etc.).
- une somme basse is less common; you’re more likely to say un montant bas or un salaire bas.

So:

Je trouve que cette somme est petite.
→ Everyday, neutral: I think the amount is small.
Je trouve que cette somme est faible.
→ A bit more formal/technical: I judge this amount to be low / not very significant.