Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to believe" in Italian: credere
credere
To believe in Italian is credere (KREH-deh-reh). Present forms include io credo, tu credi, lui/lei crede, noi crediamo. Credo di sì means I think so.
Weather guess
Credo che domani piova.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce credere
Say it
KREH-deh-reh
/ˈkre.de.re/
Credere stresses KREH: KREH-deh-reh. Credo is KREH-doh.
"to believe" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| credere | to believe Belief or thinking something is true. | Belief or thinking something is true. |
| credo / credi / crede | I believe / you believe / he-she believes Present singular. | Present singular. |
| credo di sì / no | I think so / I don't think so Short opinion replies. | Short opinion replies. |
| credere a / in | to believe someone / in something Credo a te; credo in te. | Credo a te; credo in te. |
How to use credere in real life
- 1Weather guess
Credo che domani piova.
I believe it will rain tomorrow.
Credo che + subjunctive in careful speech.
- 2Quick reply
Viene anche Sara? Credo di sì.
Is Sara coming too? I think so.
Credo di sì is everyday.
- 3Trusting a friend
Ti credo: non hai mentito.
I believe you: you didn't lie.
Credere a someone → ti credo.
Mistakes English speakers make with credere
Incorrect: Io credere che sì.
Correct: Credo di sì.
Conjugate: credo, and use di sì for I think so.
Incorrect: Credo tu (without a).
Correct: Credo a te / ti credo.
Believe a person takes a or a clitic.
Good to know
Italians use credo constantly for soft opinions, not only religious belief. Credo di sì and credo di no keep conversations polite when you are not sure.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Checking a rumor about a party
ChatPal
Credi che inizino alle nove?
Do you believe they start at nine?
You
Credo di sì, ma non sono sicuro.
I think so, but I'm not sure.
ChatPal
Allora credo che dobbiamo uscire presto.
Then I believe we should leave early.
You
Ok. Credo di avere già i biglietti.
Ok. I believe I already have the tickets.
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 believe" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to believe" in Italian
Credere or pensare?
Both can mean I think; credere often feels like belief or a softer guess.
How do I say I think so?
Credo di sì.
Do I need the subjunctive?
After credo che, careful Italian uses the subjunctive; casual speech sometimes uses the indicative.
How do I say I believe you?
Ti credo or credo a te.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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