German · Everyday Verbs
"to think" in German: denken
denken
To think in German is denken. Say Ich denke, dass… Soft past forms are dachte and gedacht, which already count.
Opinion
Ich denke, wir sollten warten.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce denken
Say it
DENK-en
/ˈdɛŋkn̩/
DENK-en. Clear denk, light -en. Stress on Den-.
"to think" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| denken | to think Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| ich denke / du denkst / er denkt | I/you/he think(s) Present. | Present. |
| dachte / gedacht | thought Past forms. | Past forms. |
| nachdenken | to think something over Related verb. | Related verb. |
How to use denken in real life
- 1Opinion
Ich denke, wir sollten warten.
I think we should wait.
Ich denke.
- 2Memory check
Ich dachte, du kommst um sechs.
I thought you were coming at six.
Dachte counts.
- 3Prompt
Was denkst du darüber?
What do you think about that?
Denkst.
Mistakes English speakers make with denken
Incorrect: Ich bin denke…
Correct: Ich denke…
No bin with denken for opinions.
Incorrect: Ich habe denkt.
Correct: Ich habe gedacht. / Ich dachte…
Participle is gedacht.
Good to know
Ich denke, dass… is everyday opinion framing. Soft thinkers also say Ich glaube or Meiner Meinung nach. Nachdenken covers deeper reflection.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Deciding whether to buy tickets
ChatPal
Was denkst du—lohnt sich das?
What do you think—is it worth it?
You
Ich denke ja, wenn wir früh buchen.
I think yes, if we book early.
ChatPal
Ich dachte zuerst an billigere Plätze.
I first thought of cheaper seats.
You
Denk nochmal nach—die teuren sind besser.
Think again—the expensive ones are better.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to think" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to think" in German
How do you conjugate denken?
Ich denke, du denkst, er denkt; past dachte; participle gedacht.
Think that…?
Ich denke, dass…
Think about / reflect?
Nachdenken (über).
Believe vs think?
Glauben often = believe; denken = think.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
