pensar

to think

pensar(pehn-sahr)

transitive verb

1. (to reflect)

a. to think

No lo pienses más. ¡Actúa!

Don't think too much. Just do it!

2. (to believe)

a. to think

Pienso que ya debería estar en casa.

I think he should be home by now.

3. (to have the intention)

a. to plan

Estaba pensando estudiar mañana.

I was planning to study tomorrow.

b. to mean

Pensé escribirte ayer, pero luego Vanna vino a la casa y se me olvidó.

I meant to write you yesterday, but then Vanna came over and I forgot.

c. to intend

Nunca pensé herirte, Felipe. Lo siento.

I never intended to hurt you, Felipe. I'm sorry.

pensarse

reflexive verb

4. (to consider oneself)

a. to think of oneself as

Ella se piensa la hija preferida de la familia.

She thinks of herself as the family's favorite child.

pronominal verb

5. (to consider)

a. to think

¿Vas a aceptar la oferta? - No sé; tendré que pensármelo.

Are you going to accept the offer? - I don't know; I'll have to think about it.

b.

no direct translation

Le dije que sí sin pensármelo dos veces.

I agreed without giving it a second thought.

Tendrás que pensártelo, ¿no? No tienes porque decidirte ya.

You'll have to think it over, won't you? You don't have to decide yet.

6. (to believe)

a. to think

Jaime se piensa que lo sabe todo.

Jaime thinks he knows it all.

pensar

intransitive verb

1. (general)

a. to think

pensar en algo/en alguien/en hacer algoto think about something/about somebody/about doing something

piensa en un número/buen regalothink of a number/good present

dar que pensar a alguiento give somebody food for thought

no pienses mal…don't get the wrong idea…

pensar mal de alguiento think badly o ill of somebody

transitive verb

2. (reflexionar sobre)

a. to think about o over

ahora que lo pienso,…come to think of it,…, now that I think about it…

cuando menos lo pienses, te llamaránthey'll call you when you least expect it

3. (opinar, creer)

a. to think

pensar algo de alguien/algoto think something of somebody/something

pienso que no vendráI don't think she'll come

4. (idear)

a. to think up

5. (tener la intención de)

a.

pensar hacer algoto intend to do something

no pienso decírteloI have no intention of telling you

¿qué piensas hacer?what are you going to do?, what are you thinking of doing?

¡ni pensarlo!no way!, not a chance!

pronominal verb

6. (general)

a.

pensarse algoto think about something, to think something over

me ofrecieron el trabajo y no me lo pensé (dos veces)they offered me the job and I had no hesitation in accepting it

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

pensar

transitive verb

1 (opinar) to think

pensar de

¿qué piensas de ella? what do you think of her?; ¿qué piensas del aborto? what do you think about abortion?

pensar que to think that

—¿piensas que van a venir? —pienso que sí "do you think they'll come?" — "I think so"; dice que las mujeres no tendrían que trabajar, yo pienso que sí he says women shouldn't work, I think they should; yo pienso que no I don't think so

2 (considerar) to think about; think over

lo pensaré I'll think about it; I'll think it over; esto es para pensarlo this needs thinking about o careful consideration; lo pensó mejor she thought better of it; me pongo triste solo con pensarlo the mere thought of it makes me sad

pensándolo bien ... on second thoughts ...; on reflection ...

piénsalo bien antes de responder think carefully before you answer; ¡ni pensarlo! no way! (familiar)

3 (decidir)

pensar que to decide that; come to the conclusion that ...

he pensado que no vale la pena I've decided that it's not worth it; I've come to the conclusion that it's not worth it

4 (tener la intención de)

pensar hacer algo to intend to do sth

pienso seguir insistiendo I intend to keep on trying; no pensaba salir I wasn't intending o planning to go out; no pienso volver a Cuba I have no intention of going back to Cuba; no pienso decir nada I won't be saying anything

No pienso pisar aquel teatro no pienso morirme sin intentarlo

5 (concebir) to think up

¿quién pensó este plan? who thought this plan up?; whose idea was this plan?

6 (esperar)

cuando menos lo pienses when you least expect it; sin pensarlo unexpectedly

intransitive verb

1 (tener ideas) to think

eso me hace pensar that makes me think; quieren imponer su forma de pensar they want to impose their way of thinking

respondió que su forma de pensar no había variado se encontró con un grupo de chavales de El Escorial y con los que coincidía en su forma de pensar

después de mucho pensar tuve una idea after much thought I had an idea

pensar en algo/algn to think about sth/sb

¿en qué piensas? what are you thinking about?; estaba pensando en ir al cine esta tarde I was thinking of going to the cinema this evening; solo piensa en pasarlo bien all he thinks about is having a good time; pienso mucho en ti I think about you a lot

solo piensa en hacer dinero solo piensa en sí mismo solo piensan en el hoy y ahora unas imágenes que nos hacen pensar en Degas

pensar para sí to think to o.s.

dar que pensar

no haberlo denunciado esta misma mañana, da que pensar que un señor pueda controlar ahora al mismo tiempo las cadenas privadas y las cadenas públicas de televisión da que pensar

el hecho de que no llamara a la policía da que pensar the fact that she didn't call the police makes you think; un reportaje que da que pensar a thought-provoking article; dar que pensar a la gente to set people thinking; arouse suspicions

sin pensar without thinking

pensar sobre algo to think about sth

pensar con los pies

estás pensando con los pies you're not using your head

2

pensar bien de algo/algn to think well of sth/sb

pensar mal de algo/algn to think ill of sth/sb

¡no pienses mal! don't be nasty!; ¡siempre pensando mal! what a nasty mind you've got!

piensa mal y acertarás you can't trust anybody

3 (aspirar)

pensar en algo to aim at sth

piensa en una cátedra he's aiming at a chair

pronominal verb

pensarse

piénsatelo think it over; tienes nueve días para pensártelo you have nine days to think it over o to think about it; sin pensárselo dos veces without a second thought; después de pensárselo mucho after thinking about it long and hard; after much thought

Se ha ido a Colombia a pensárselo a lo mejor no es mala idea. Me lo tengo que pensar