penser at B1 — penser à vs penser de
On this page
The single most confused pair in intermediate French.
À or de? They are not interchangeable
Penser à means to have someone or something in mind: « je pense à toi » — I’m thinking of you. It is affection, memory, preoccupation.
Penser de asks for a judgement, and it appears almost only in questions: « qu’est-ce que tu penses de ce film ? » — what do you think of this film? Answering it, you switch back: « je pense que c’est bien ». So you are asked with de and you reply with que. Getting this backwards is the classic B1 error.
💡 Focus at this level: penser à vs penser de
👨🏫 How to use « penser » at this level
1. À = in my mind. People, plans, worries. « Je pense à mon travail. »
2. De = your verdict, in a question. « Que penses-tu de… ? »
3. Never answer with « de ». The reply is always « je pense que… ».
🎮 Practise « penser »
Play the free French games → · Back to the full « penser » chart →