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je pensais

thought, to expect

→ penser
pens to think + ais je/tu imperfect
verb · 1st-person singular / 2nd-person singular, imperfect tense Uncommon #19,747
thought Here, *penser* means to believe or consider something true; *pensais* is the imperfect form, “I thought.”
FR: Je la pensais malade.
EN: I thought she was ill.
Conjugation of penser
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First pensais —
Second pensais pensiez
Third pensait pensaient

Tu l'as dit et tu le pensais.

You said it, and you meant it.

— La Vague (2008)

C’est comme ça que je ferais, pensais-je, si je faisais construire un doris.

That’s how I’d do it, I thought, if I were having a dory built.

Je vous pensais capable de préparer un remède rapidement.

I thought you were capable of preparing a remedy quickly.

— Harry Potter et le Prince de sang-mêlé (2009)

Je la pensais malade.

I thought she was sick.

Il le fallait, pensais-je.

It had to be done, I thought.

Je te pensais en prison.

I thought you were in prison.

— Idiocracy (2006)

J’y pensais, dis-je.

I was thinking about it, I said.

À quoi pensais-je ?

What was I thinking?

— Independence Day (1996)

Je ne le pensais pas.

I didn't think so.

— Andhadhun (2018)

Tu le pensais ?

Did you think so?

Je me demandais ce que tu en pensais.

I was wondering what you thought about it.

Je n'en pensais pas un mot.

I didn’t mean a word of it.

— Projet Dernière Chance (2026)

Je te pensais à la plage !

I thought you were at the beach!

— Le Loup de Wall Street (2013)

Je te pensais pas intéressé, beau gosse.

I didn't think you were interested, handsome.

— Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

J'pensais pouvoir garder ce gosse, le donner à quelqu'un qui en a besoin.

I thought I could keep this kid, give him to someone who needs him.

— Juno (2007)

Moi qui pensais mourir ici !

And to think I thought I’d die here!

— Vivre ! (1994)

J'y pensais justement.

I was just thinking about that.

C'est moi qui pensais que tu me détestais.

I was the one who thought you hated me.

J'y pensais depuis plusieurs jours.

I had been thinking about it for several days.

— Mon cœur est déjà pris (1999)

J'aurais dû lui demander ce qu'elle pensais de moi.

I should have asked her what she thought of me.

— Silent Voice (2016)

Et moi qui pensais pouvoir vous apprendre quelque chose.

And I thought I could teach you something.

J'y pensais.

I was thinking about it.

Je n'en pensais rien.

I didn't think anything of it.

verb · 1st-person singular / 2nd-person singular, imperfect tense Rare #46,626
to expect With an infinitive, penser means to expect or think you will do something.
FR: Je ne pensais plus te revoir.
EN: I didn’t expect to see you again.
Conjugation of penser
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First pensais —
Second pensais pensiez
Third pensait pensaient

J'pensais pas que t'allais rentrer aussi tôt.

I didn't think you'd be home so early.

— L'Ultime Héritier (2026)

Oui, mais je n'y pensais plus trop, si vous me comprenez.

Yes, but I wasn't really thinking about it anymore, if you know what I mean.

— Assurance sur la mort (1944)

Je n'y pensais pas.

I didn't think about it.

— L'Arche russe (2002)

Je n'y pensais même pas.

I didn't even think about it.

— Kin-dza-dza! (1986)

Je n'y pensais pas, jusqu'à ce que vous en parliez.

I wasn't thinking about it until you mentioned it.

— Oppenheimer (2023)