Are you thinking about doing something/do you think you will do something

Question

Could someone please proofread these related sentences form me?

I was wondering if these would be acceptable ways to say the following. I feel more comfortable with the first few, but the last two I am not so sure about. I feel like (for the questions, especially) they should be in the subjunctive and not the future because there is a degree of uncertainty/doubt about whether or not the person will complete the action.

Pienso escribir una carta – I am thinking about writing a letter

¿Piensas escribir una carta? - Are you thinking about writing a letter?

Tengo la intención de escribir una carta – I have the intention of writing a letter/I intend to write a letter/I am thinking about writing a letter.

¿Tienes la intención de escribir una carta? - Do you intend to write a letter?

Pienso que escribiré una carta - I think that I will write a letter.

¿Pienas que escribiré una carta? - Do you think that you will write a letter?

Could these types of constructions be used to ask somebody if they think that they will do something, today. For example: Do you think that you will cut the grass today or Do you think that you will finish the project today. Also, would it be more appropriate to use “creer” than “pensar?”

Any help is greatly appreciated, and I would like to thank everyone in advance.

Answer 1

Pienso escribir una carta – I am thinking about writing a letter

This sentence is correct, but not the translation. this would be:

I have the intention to write a letter.

¿Piensas escribir una carta? - Do you have the intenrtion to write a letter?

Tengo la intención de escribir una carta – I have the intention of writing a letter/I intend to write a letter/I am thinking about writing a letter.

OK.

¿Tienes la intención de escribir una carta? - Do you intend to write a letter?

ok

Pienso que escribiré una carta - I think that I will write a letter.

ok, but unusual, we would use creo que....

¿Piensas que escribirás una carta? - Do you think that you will write a letter?

same as above...crees que ...

I am thinking about writing a letter--------

Estoy pensando en escribir una carta. (the proposition is important here)

Thanks so much Heidita. - Izanoni1, Nov 21, 2009

Su respuesta es muy buena, Heidi - Fidalgo, Feb 4, 2010

Answer 2

In class, my teacher told us to use a conjugated form of pensar followed by the word "en" and either a noun (person, place, or thing) or the infinitive (unconjugated form) of a verb in order to say "thinking about". So, following my teacher's rule, it would be "¿Piensas en escribir una carta?" instead of "¿Piensas escribir una carta?" and so forth. This applies to your first two sentences as well and makes the last translation of your third sentence slightly off.

I would add the word "hoy" (meaning today) to the end of your fourth sentence so that it corresponds correctly to your translation.

Also, in your last sentence, you use the word "escribiré" and you translate it into "you will write". This word means "I will write". You will write is "escribirás" for the tú form and "escribirá" for the usted form.

As for your questions that appear after your sentences, I'm not a native Spanish speaker but I don't see why these questions should not be usable. As for creer vs. pensar, they are almost the same. Creer means to believe and pensar means to think. I belive that you can use them interchangably because there really isn't that much of a difference.

I hope this helps you. ¡Buenas Suerte! (Good Luck!)

Thanks Jdbirdie...that "today" slipped in there by mistake, I did not intend to write it that way - Izanoni1, Nov 21, 2009

Answer 3

¿Pienas que escribiras una carta?

Muchas gracias Robertico...Would it be OK to say it this way? - Izanoni1, Nov 21, 2009

PienSas --- Piensas que escribiras una carta en el momento adecuado? --- Do you think that you will write a letter at the right moment? Not to often we spek like this but I don't see anything wrong with it. - 0068e2f4, Nov 21, 2009

?Piensas que vas a escribir una carta? --- Is the more common way. - 0068e2f4, Nov 21, 2009

Thank you for the insight. - Izanoni1, Nov 21, 2009

?Y tu piensa que te vas a acordar y le vas a escribir una carta cuando terminen el proyecto? --- And you think that you are going to remember to write them a letter when the project is finished? --- weird but possible. - 0068e2f4, Nov 21, 2009

Answer 4

These two you can also write this way:

Tengo la intención de escribir una carta --- Intento escribir una carta.

¿Tienes la intención de escribir una carta? --- ¿Intentas escribir una carta?

Thank you again - Izanoni1, Nov 21, 2009