Learning French means diving into a world of nuance, and expressing concepts like "to believe" is no exception. While you might know a common way to say it, did you know there are many different verbs and phrases you can use?

Understanding these variations will not only enrich your vocabulary but also help you convey your thoughts with greater precision, whether you're talking about faith, an opinion, or simply trusting someone.

Let's explore nine fantastic ways to say "to believe" in French, making your conversations more natural and sophisticated!

The standard 'to believe' – croire

The standard 'to believe' – croire is the most fundamental and common verb for 'to believe' in French. It's essential for expressing opinions, faith, and assumptions.

As an irregular verb, croire doesn't follow a simple pattern, but its present tense conjugations are crucial: je crois, tu crois, il/elle/on croit, nous croyons, vous croyez, ils/elles croient. Mastering these is key to using it correctly.

When expressing belief in something or someone, croire is often followed by the preposition à (e.g., croire au Père Noël - to believe in Santa Claus). For abstract concepts or deeply held convictions, croire en is frequently used (e.g., croire en la paix - to believe in peace).

To express belief that something is true, use croire que followed by a clause. The verb in the dependent clause typically remains in the indicative mood if the belief is stated positively (e.g., Je crois qu'il viendra - I believe he will come).

When croire que is used in a negative or interrogative sentence, implying doubt or disbelief, the following clause often shifts to the subjunctive mood (e.g., Je ne crois pas qu'il vienne - I don't believe he will come).

Croire conveys a personal opinion or assumption rather than a proven fact. It signifies what one holds to be true, even if it's not objectively verifiable, differentiating it from verbs like savoir (to know).

Beyond its direct meaning, croire appears in useful expressions such as faire croire à quelqu'un (to make someone believe, to trick) or croire dur comme fer (to believe something firmly/blindly).

💡 * Je crois en toi. (I believe in you.)

Elle croit au Père Noël. (She believes in Santa Claus.)

Nous croyons qu'il est innocent. (We believe that he is innocent.)

Ne croyez pas tout ce qu'on vous dit. (Don't believe everything you're told.)

Il se croit très intelligent. (He thinks he's very intelligent.)

To 'believe in' (a person, a concept, a deity) – croire en

The verb croire means 'to believe,' but when you want to express 'to believe in' someone, something, or a concept, you almost always use the preposition en.

When you croire en someone, it implies having faith in their abilities, their honesty, or their potential. It's about trust and confidence rather than just accepting their existence.

Similarly, croire en is used for believing in abstract concepts like justice, love, or freedom. You hold these ideas as true and important.

This phrase is also the standard way to express religious faith, such as 'to believe in God' (croire en Dieu) or 'to believe in a specific religion'.

It's important to distinguish croire en from croire que (+ clause), which means 'to believe that' something is true (a statement or fact). Croire en is about faith, trust, or conviction, while croire que is about intellectual assent to a proposition.

Croire is an irregular -RE verb. Its present tense conjugation is: je crois, tu crois, il/elle/on croit, nous croyons, vous croyez, ils/elles croient.

💡 * Je crois en toi. (I believe in you.)

Elle croit en la justice. (She believes in justice.)

Nous croyons en Dieu. (We believe in God.)

Croyez-vous en l'amour éternel? (Do you believe in eternal love?)

Ils ne croient plus en leur gouvernement. (They no longer believe in their government.)

To 'believe in' (a story, a rumor, a possibility) – croire à

When you want to express belief in something abstract or intangible in French, like a story, a rumor, a possibility, or even a supernatural entity, the verb you'll use is croire à.

The verb croire (to believe) is followed by the preposition à (or its contracted forms au, aux, à l') when the object of belief is an idea, a concept, a legend, or a possibility, rather than a person or a direct statement.

It's important to distinguish croire à from croire used without a preposition. Croire (without à) typically means 'to believe someone' or 'to believe a statement as true and factual' (e.g., Je te crois - I believe you; Je crois cette histoire - I believe this story is true).

Croire is an irregular verb. Here's its present tense conjugation: je crois, tu crois, il/elle/on croit, nous croyons, vous croyez, ils/elles croient. Remember to attach à (or its contractions) to the appropriate conjugated form.

You'll often use croire à when talking about belief in things like: croire aux fantômes (to believe in ghosts), croire à la chance (to believe in luck), croire à l'amour (to believe in love), croire à une rumeur (to believe a rumor), or croire à une possibilité (to believe in a possibility).

To summarize, use croire à when you're expressing belief in an abstract concept, an idea, a legend, or a potential outcome. If you're believing a person or a factual statement, simply use croire.

💡 * Je crois aux contes de fées. (I believe in fairy tales.)

Tu crois à cette rumeur folle? (Do you believe that crazy rumor?)

Il ne croit pas à la chance. (He doesn't believe in luck.)

Nous croyons à un avenir meilleur. (We believe in a better future.)

Croyez-vous aux fantômes? (Do you believe in ghosts?)

To 'have faith in' – avoir foi en

The French expression avoir foi en translates directly to 'to have faith in' or 'to believe in', carrying a strong sense of trust and conviction.

Unlike simply croire (to believe), avoir foi en implies a profound belief, often spiritual, moral, or a deep trust in someone's abilities or intentions, even without tangible proof.

The structure avoir foi en always uses the preposition en, which means 'in' or 'into'. It is followed by a noun or a pronoun, referring to the person, idea, or entity in which one places their faith.

This phrase is commonly used when expressing faith in God, humanity, a political ideal, a person's potential, or the future. It conveys a strong, unwavering belief.

💡 * J'ai foi en toi. (I have faith in you.)

Ils ont foi en l'avenir. (They have faith in the future.)

Nous avons foi en la justice. (We have faith in justice.)

Elle a foi en ses capacités. (She has faith in her abilities.)

Avoir foi en Dieu est important pour certains. (Having faith in God is important for some.)

To 'be convinced that' – être convaincu(e) que

The French phrase être convaincu(e) que translates directly to "to be convinced that" or "to be sure that." It's used to express a strong belief or certainty about a particular fact or idea.

A crucial aspect of using this phrase correctly is the agreement of the past participle convaincu. It must agree in gender and number with the subject of the verb être. For example, you would say je suis convaincue (if female), il est convaincu, nous sommes convaincus (if masculine plural), or elles sont convaincues (if feminine plural).

When using être convaincu(e) que, the clause that follows que should be in the indicative mood. This is because you are expressing a certainty, a fact you believe to be true, rather than a doubt, wish, or emotion that would typically trigger the subjunctive.

This expression is appropriate for conveying a firm personal conviction or a belief based on evidence or reasoning. It's stronger than simply saying "je pense que" (I think that) and implies a deeper level of assurance.

While être convaincu(e) que emphasizes personal conviction, similar phrases like être certain(e) que (to be certain that) or être sûr(e) que (to be sure that) can also be used, often interchangeably, to express certainty. The choice often depends on subtle nuances or personal preference.

💡 * Je suis convaincue que c'est la bonne décision. (I am convinced that it's the right decision.)

Il est convaincu que le projet réussira. (He is convinced that the project will succeed.)

Nous sommes convaincus que vous avez raison. (We are convinced that you are right.)

Elles étaient convaincues qu'elles gagneraient. (They were convinced that they would win.)

Es-tu convaincu que tout est prêt ? (Are you convinced that everything is ready?)

To 'think/suppose that' – penser que

The French verb penser means “to think.” When followed by que (that) and a clause, penser que translates to “to think that” or “to suppose that.” It's a fundamental expression for conveying opinions and beliefs.

In its most common usage, when you are stating what you do think or believe, penser que is followed by a verb in the indicative mood. This is because you are expressing a certainty or a strong belief. For example, Je pense qu'il est gentil. (I think that he is kind.)

Remember: for affirmative statements with penser que, always use the indicative. This applies even if your "thinking" isn't 100% certain, as long as you're presenting it as your thought or belief. Nous pensons que tu as raison. (We think that you are right.)

The mood changes when penser que is used in the negative or in an interrogative form that implies doubt. In these cases, it often triggers the subjunctive mood. This is because the negation or question introduces uncertainty. For instance, Je ne pense pas qu'il vienne. (I don't think that he is coming.)

To summarize, use the indicative after penser que when expressing a positive belief or a direct question about a belief. Use the subjunctive when you negate your belief or ask a question that implies doubt about the statement.

💡 * Je pense qu'elle viendra demain. (I think that she will come tomorrow.)

Nous pensons que c'est une bonne idée. (We think that it's a good idea.)

Tu penses qu'il a raison ? (Do you think that he is right?)

Je ne pense pas qu'il soit là. (I don't think that he is here.)

Penses-tu qu'elle sache la vérité ? (Do you think that she knows the truth?)

To 'consider/estimate that' (as an opinion/belief) – estimer que

The French verb estimer que translates to 'to consider that', 'to estimate that', or 'to judge that' in English. It's used to express an opinion, a belief, or a judgment rather than a simple statement of fact.

Estimer que is particularly useful when you want to convey that something is your assessment or your conviction. It implies a certain degree of thought or calculation behind the stated opinion, making it stronger than just 'I think that' (je pense que) in some contexts.

The construction is straightforward: estimer que is typically followed by the indicative mood, as it expresses a personal conviction or something considered to be true by the speaker. For example, 'J'estime que c'est important' (I consider that it's important).

💡 *J'estime que la situation va s'améliorer. (I consider that the situation will improve.)
*Nous estimons que son travail est excellent. (We estimate/consider that his work is excellent.)
*Il estime qu'il a fait de son mieux. (He considers that he did his best.)
*Elles estiment que cette décision est juste. (They consider that this decision is fair.)
*J'estime qu'il est temps de partir. (I consider that it's time to leave.)

To 'hold the opinion that' – considérer que

The French verb considérer means 'to consider', 'to deem', or 'to regard'. When followed by que (that), it translates to 'to hold the opinion that' or 'to consider that'.

The structure is straightforward: subject + considérer + que + subordinate clause. The subordinate clause expresses the opinion or belief held by the subject. This phrase is often used in more formal or reflective contexts than a simple penser que (to think that).

Considérer que implies a more thought-out or established opinion than penser que. It suggests that the subject has weighed facts or observations before forming their view. It can also be used to express a judgment or an assessment.

This construction is particularly useful when you want to express a reasoned viewpoint or a formal assessment, rather than a fleeting thought. For instance, in an argument or a professional setting, considérer que lends more weight to the statement.

💡 * Je considère que c'est une excellente idée. (I hold the opinion that it's an excellent idea.)

Nous considérons que son travail est essentiel. (We consider that her work is essential.)

Ils considèrent que la situation s'améliore. (They consider that the situation is improving.)

Elle considère que le projet est réalisable. (She holds the opinion that the project is feasible.)

To 'trust' (someone's word or ability) – faire confiance à

The most common way to express “to trust” someone’s word, ability, or judgment in French is with the idiomatic expression faire confiance à.

Literally translating to “to make confidence to,” faire confiance à is a fixed phrase where faire conjugates like a regular verb, while confiance (a feminine noun meaning "trust" or "confidence") remains unchanged. The preposition à is essential to specify who or what is being trusted.

This phrase is used when you believe in someone's honesty, reliability, competence, or judgment. For instance, you would use it to say you trust a friend to keep a promise, a doctor's advice, or a colleague's skills. It is distinct from entrusting a secret, which would typically use confier un secret à quelqu'un.

Remember that faire conjugates normally according to the subject and tense. For example: Je fais confiance (I trust), Tu fais confiance (You trust), Nous faisons confiance (We trust), Ils ont fait confiance (They trusted).

💡 * Je lui fais confiance pour terminer le projet à temps. (I trust him/her to finish the project on time.)

Il faut faire confiance à son instinct parfois. (One must trust one's instinct sometimes.)

Elle ne fait plus confiance à ses promesses. (She no longer trusts his promises.)

Nous faisons confiance à l'expertise de notre équipe. (We trust the expertise of our team.)

Faites-moi confiance, tout ira bien. (Trust me, everything will be fine.)

Are there other ways to say 'to believe' in French?

Are there other ways to say “to believe” in French?

Our list has covered the most common ways to say “to believe” in French, primarily focusing on croire. However, the French language, rich in nuance, offers many other expressions, from formal to idiomatic, and even regional slang, to convey belief, conviction, or trust.

To delve deeper, you could explore phrases like “avoir foi en” (to have faith in), “faire confiance à” (to trust), or even regional specificities by searching “comment dire croire en ___” followed by a Francophone country or region.

When you encounter new expressions for “to believe,” always make sure to check their precise meaning and observe how they’re used in context before incorporating them into your own French.

As you continue to read, watch, and listen to French media, pay close attention to how native speakers express belief, doubt, and conviction – you’ll surely discover a wealth of interesting alternatives.

For an extensive exploration of croire and its related verbs, synonyms, and idiomatic expressions, the WordReference entry for croire is an excellent starting point.

I hope this article has helped clarify the various ways to express belief in French. To conclude, here’s a thought from André Gide on conviction: Croire, c'est vouloir croire. (To believe is to want to believe.)

9 ways to say "to believe" in French