Irregular verb

pensar
to think

Pensar is an irregular -ar verb in Spanish — the forms that break the pattern are explained in the grammar notes below.

Practice pensar free →

Pensar conjugation in Spanish

Pensar means 'to think', and it is indispensable for giving opinions — a skill rewarded across every part of a Spanish exam. It is a stem-changing verb, with e becoming ie in the present (pienso, piensas, piensa). Two structures matter: pensar que introduces an opinion (pienso que es importante), and pensar + infinitive means to intend to do something (pienso viajar). Pensar en means to think about. Because opinion phrases lift your mark, having pienso que… ready is one of the most practical things you can take from this verb.

Quick facts

Meaningto think
Verb type-ar verb
Regular / IrregularIrregular
CEFR levelA2

Pensar — conjugation tables

Pensar (to think) is an irregular -ar verb.

Indicative
Presente guide →
yopienso
túpiensas
él/ellapiensa
nosotrospensamos
vosotrospensáis
ellos/ellaspiensan
Pretérito Indefinido guide →
yopensé
túpensaste
él/ellapensó
nosotrospensamos
vosotrospensasteis
ellos/ellaspensaron
Pretérito Imperfecto guide →
yopensaba
túpensabas
él/ellapensaba
nosotrospensábamos
vosotrospensabais
ellos/ellaspensaban
Futuro guide →
yopensaré
túpensarás
él/ellapensará
nosotrospensaremos
vosotrospensaréis
ellos/ellaspensarán
Condicional guide →
yopensaría
túpensarías
él/ellapensaría
nosotrospensaríamos
vosotrospensaríais
ellos/ellaspensarían
Pretérito Perfecto guide →
yohe pensado
túhas pensado
él/ellaha pensado
nosotroshemos pensado
vosotroshabéis pensado
ellos/ellashan pensado
Pluscuamperfecto guide →
yohabía pensado
túhabías pensado
él/ellahabía pensado
nosotroshabíamos pensado
vosotroshabíais pensado
ellos/ellashabían pensado
Futuro Compuesto guide →
yohabré pensado
túhabrás pensado
él/ellahabrá pensado
nosotroshabremos pensado
vosotroshabréis pensado
ellos/ellashabrán pensado
Presente Progresivo guide →
yoestoy pensando
túestás pensando
él/ellaestá pensando
nosotrosestamos pensando
vosotrosestáis pensando
ellos/ellasestán pensando
Subjunctive
Pres. Subjuntivo guide →
yopiense
túpienses
él/ellapiense
nosotrospensemos
vosotrospenséis
ellos/ellaspiensen
Imperf. Subjuntivo guide →
yopensara
túpensaras
él/ellapensara
nosotrospensáramos
vosotrospensarais
ellos/ellaspensaran
Pluscuamp. Subjuntivo guide →
yohubiera pensado
túhubieras pensado
él/ellahubiera pensado
nosotroshubiéramos pensado
vosotroshubierais pensado
ellos/ellashubieran pensado
Imperative
Imperativo guide →
túpiensa
ustedpiense
nosotrospensemos
vosotrospensad
ustedespiensen

Example sentences with pensar

Real sentences across different tenses — the kind of thing you'd actually say or write.

1.
Pienso que tienes razón.
I think you're right.
2.
¿Qué piensas de la situación?
What do you think about the situation?
3.
Pensábamos que llegarías más tarde.
We thought you'd arrive later.
4.
Pensó mucho antes de contestar.
She thought hard before answering.
5.
Estoy pensando en estudiar medicina.
I'm thinking about studying medicine.
6.
No pienso decírselo.
I'm not going to tell him.
7.
¿En qué estás pensando?
What are you thinking about?
8.
Pensaré en eso esta noche.
I'll think about that tonight.
9.
Pensamos hacer un viaje en verano.
We're thinking of taking a trip in summer.
10.
Piensa antes de hablar.
Think before you speak.

How to use pensar

Giving opinions

Pensar que: pienso que es buena idea (I think it's a good idea).

Intending / planning

Pensar + infinitive: pienso estudiar idiomas.

Thinking about

Pensar en: pienso en mi futuro (I think about my future).

Stem change

Remember e→ie: pienso, piensas, but pensamos.

Common phrases using pensar

Fixed expressions worth knowing — they come up in listening, reading and writing tasks.

pensar ento think about (someone/something)
pensar en + infinitivoto think of doing something
ni pensarlono way / not a chance
pensándolo bienon reflection / come to think of it
dar que pensarto give food for thought

Idiomatic expressions

pensar ento think about
pensándolo bienon second thoughts
ni pensarlono way
pensar en voz altato think aloud

Common mistakes with pensar

Pensar is an e→ie stem-changer: pienso, piensas, piensa — but pensamos, pensáis don't change. Pensar en means to think about; pensar + infinitivo means to intend to do something.

Grammar notes

Presente

Stem-changing verb (e→ie): the stem vowel changes in all forms except nosotros and vosotros, which keep the original stem.

Practice pensar — free

Type conjugations from memory and get instant feedback. That's how you actually build the automatic recall the exam needs — not from reading tables.

Practice pensar now →

Quick quiz — pensar

Three questions, no account needed. Type the form, then press Enter or tap Check.

nosotros (Presente)
ellos / ellas (Futuro)
vosotros (Presente)

Frequently asked questions

How do you conjugate pensar in the present tense?

yo: pienso, tú: piensas, él: piensa, nosotros: pensamos, vosotros: pensáis, ellos: piensan

Is pensar a regular or irregular verb?

Pensar is irregular. The tenses with irregular forms are: Presente.

What are the past participle and gerund of pensar?

The past participle is pensado (he pensado) and the gerund is pensando (estoy pensando).

Similar verbs to pensar

Verbs that are easy to confuse with pensar or that behave like it.

creerto believe / think — often interchangeable when giving opinions.
opinarto be of the opinion — a more formal way to say what you think.
considerarto consider — weighing something up before deciding.

Related verbs

saber querer decir

Pensar is on the AQA, Edexcel and Eduqas GCSE Spanish vocabulary lists. Compare the exam boards.

Written by Daniel Holmes for GCSE & A-Level Spanish students.