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Non penso mica di essere pazzo!

Non penso mica di essere pazzo!
I don't think I'm crazy at all!
From Lesson 184:Avoiding the subjunctive with di (penso di andare)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Non penso mica di essere pazzo!

Why does this sentence use di essere instead of che io sia?
When the subject of the main verb (penso) and the second verb (essere) are the same person ('I don't think that I...'), Italian prefers to use di plus the infinitive instead of che plus the subjunctive. So, rather than saying Non penso che io sia, you say Non penso di essere.
What role does mica play in this sentence?
Mica is a very common word used to emphasize a negative, meaning roughly 'at all' or 'in the least'. When it comes right after the verb like it does here, it pairs with non before the verb. So, Non penso mica means 'I don't think at all'.
Is it completely wrong to say Non penso che io sia pazzo?
Yes, it sounds very unnatural in Italian. The strong rule is to use di + infinitive whenever the subjects match. You only use che + the subjunctive when the subjects are different, for example: Non penso che tu sia pazzo (I don't think YOU are crazy).
If a woman were saying this, would any words change?
Yes! Even though the verb is an infinitive (essere), the adjective describing the speaker still has to agree with their gender. A woman would change the ending and say Non penso mica di essere pazza!

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