Creo que

[zaidam]

Hi, I heard the expressions "meperese que" and "creo que" used frequently to mean "I think". What is the exact difference please

[Rusty]

me parece = it seems to me
creo = I believe

The conjunction 'que' doesn't always follow these words, so I intentionally omitted it.

Both 'expressions' can be translated into English as 'I think', but the differences are stated in the way I translated them above.

[abrink]

Originally Posted by Rusty

The conjunction 'que' doesn't always follow these words, so I intentionally omitted it.

I just tried to do a search for when to use or omit "que" but I wasn't able to find anything here. I'm sure there's been some threads on it before. Can you direct me in the right direction?

[chileno]

Try:

Parece +inf

Parece +article

[Rusty]

No creo haberlo visto.
= I don't believe I've seen it.

Creo en Dios.
= I believe in God.

The conjunction is used when the subject changes in the part of the sentence that answers 'what' one believes.

¿Qué te parece?
= What do you think?

Me parece fácil este examen.
= I think this test will be easy.

There's no need for a secondary clause in these sentences, so no conjunction is used.

[abrink]

Originally Posted by Rusty

No creo haberlo visto.
= I don't believe I've seen it.

Creo en Dios.
= I believe in God.

The conjunction is used when the subject changes in the part of the sentence that answers 'what' one believes.

¿Qué te parece?
= What do you think?

Me parece fácil este examen.
= I think this test will be easy.

There's no need for a secondary clause in these sentences, so no conjunction is used.

I see. So if "I" were to say something about "him" I'd have to use que?

Creo que él es viejo.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by abrink

I see. So if "I" were to say something about "him" I'd have to use que?

Creo que él es viejo.

Yes, a change in subject mandates a secondary clause and a conjunction to introduce it.
And if you don't believe "he" is old, you use the subjunctive mood in the secondary clause.
No creo que él sea viejo.

[abrink]

Thanks, Rusty. One more thing. I noticed when you said "I think this test will be easy" you didn't use "que." Isn't the subject changing to the exam? I understand you're stating what "you" think, but you're stating what "you" think about the "exam."

[Rusty]

Good question!!

If you look at the English translation alone, there is no change in subject. The phrase 'this test will be easy' is a noun clause (it contains both a subject and a verb) that can stand on its own. The noun clause is acting as the direct object. English doesn't require the conjunction, but you could have said "I think that this test will be easy" with no change in meaning.

The English translation I gave is the closest fit I could think of quickly to match what the original Spanish sentence meant to the person who wrote it (me). I'll explain.

The Spanish sentence is using a linking verb construct. This means that there is a subject and a subject complement (note that the subject complement is an adjective - an older term for this particular subject complement was 'predicate adjective') with a linking verb sandwiched in between.
So, a literal translation of the sentence would be "This test seems easy to me." The subject is "test". "Easy" is the subject complement (the subject and subject complement can switch places in Spanish). The linking verb is "seems".
There is no change in subject. The linking verb construct doesn't allow for a change in subject.

A native speaker could say this sentence and mean the translation that I gave.
Why?
Because the Spanish present indicative tense can represent a near future event. That is what I had in mind when I wrote it (the interlocutors weren't currently taking the test - it 'will be' taken). You can't use the present tense to talk about the near future in English. So, I had to change the construction to make it work. What I thought of was what I wrote. "I think" became the verb (to go with the Original Poster's question) and the Spanish subject became the direct object.

[Elaina]

No me siento muy cómoda con esta traducción...

Me parece fácil este examen.
= I think this test will be easy.

I think this test is easy. (sounds more appropriate)

I could be wrong, what do you think?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Elaina: Depende de si ya hiciste el examen o estás por hacerlo.
El presente en español a veces funciona como futuro.

·Yo creo que sí me dan el empleo.
I think they will give me the job.

·Te veo mañana.
I'll see you tomorrow.

·¿Vienes a verme?
·Will you come and see me?

·Llegan el lunes.
They'll be here on Monday.

[abrink]

Okay, thanks!

[Elaina]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

@Elaina: Depende de si ya hiciste el examen o estás por hacerlo.
El presente en español a veces funciona como futuro.

·Yo creo que sí me dan el empleo.
I think they will give me the job.

·Te veo mañana.
I'll see you tomorrow.

·¿Vienes a verme?
·Will you come and see me?

·Llegan el lunes.
They'll be here on Monday.

Yes, I understand all that but I was talking about the English part of the sentence.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

The English translation is using this notion. You haven't had the test yet and you reckon it will be easy.

I'm not saying your translation is wrong, but it's referring to the case when you're doing the test and you're finding it easy.
As there is no context, both options are equally valid.

[juliapozuelo]

Originally Posted by abrink

Thanks, Rusty. One more thing. I noticed when you said "I think this test will be easy" you didn't use "que." Isn't the subject changing to the exam? I understand you're stating what "you" think, but you're stating what "you" think about the "exam."

I agree with Rusty. Maybe, if you think it's easier for you, there could be another translation for that sentences using the conjunction:

"Creo que este examen es fácil / creo que este examen será fácil"

Hope it helps!!