croire
to believe / to think
Auxiliary: avoir
Croire is an irregular verb. Note the 'i' after 'y' in the nous/vous forms of the imperfect and present subjunctive (croyions, croyiez). Its past participle is 'cru'. 'Croire à' means to believe in something, 'croire en' to believe in someone.
Je crois qu'il a raison.
I think he is right.
Indicatif
Présent
Present
Je crois cette histoire.
I believe this story.
Tu crois vraiment tout ce qu'il dit ?
Do you really believe everything he says?
Elle croit encore au père Noël.
She still believes in Santa Claus.
Nous croyons en toi.
We believe in you.
Vous croyez qu'il va pleuvoir ?
Do you think it's going to rain?
Ils croient à leur succès.
They believe in their success.
Imparfait
Imperfect
Je croyais que tu étais déjà parti.
I thought you had already left.
Tu croyais vraiment à cette promesse.
You really believed that promise.
Il croyait toujours ses amis.
He always believed his friends.
Nous croyions bien faire.
We thought we were doing the right thing.
Vous croyiez à ses excuses ?
Did you believe his excuses?
Les gens croyaient aux légendes.
People believed in legends.
Passé composé
Present Perfect
J'ai cru un instant que c'était vrai.
For a moment I believed it was true.
Tu as cru à sa version des faits.
You believed his version of events.
Elle a cru entendre un bruit.
She thought she heard a noise.
Nous avons cru à une blague.
We thought it was a joke.
Vous avez cru bien faire.
You thought you were doing the right thing.
Ils ont cru à sa guérison.
They believed in his recovery.
Plus-que-parfait
Past Perfect
J'avais cru comprendre le contraire.
I had understood the opposite.
Tu avais cru à sa sincérité.
You had believed in his sincerity.
Elle avait cru bien connaître la ville.
She had believed she knew the town well.
Nous avions cru le voir partir.
We had thought we saw him leave.
Vous aviez cru la rumeur trop vite.
You had believed the rumour too quickly.
Ils avaient cru à une erreur.
They had thought it was a mistake.
Futur simple
Future
Je te croirai quand je verrai des preuves.
I will believe you when I see proof.
Tu ne me croiras jamais !
You will never believe me!
Personne ne la croira.
Nobody will believe her.
Nous croirons ce que nous verrons.
We will believe what we see.
Vous me croirez sur parole, j'espère.
You will take my word for it, I hope.
Ils croiront enfin à notre projet.
They will finally believe in our project.
Conditionnel
Conditionnel présent
Conditional
Je croirais volontiers à un miracle.
I would gladly believe in a miracle.
Tu croirais n'importe quoi.
You would believe anything.
On croirait qu'il pleut.
You would think it's raining.
Nous te croirions si tu étais sincère.
We would believe you if you were sincere.
Vous ne croiriez pas ce qui m'est arrivé.
You wouldn't believe what happened to me.
Ils croiraient plus facilement une preuve écrite.
They would more easily believe written proof.
Subjonctif
Subjonctif présent
Present Subjunctive
Il ne s'attend pas à ce que je le croie.
He doesn't expect me to believe him.
Je veux que tu me croies.
I want you to believe me.
Il est important qu'elle croie en elle.
It is important that she believes in herself.
Il faudrait que nous croyions en nos chances.
We should believe in our chances.
Je ne pense pas que vous croyiez à ça.
I don't think you believe that.
Elle souhaite qu'ils la croient.
She wishes they would believe her.
Impératif
Impératif
Imperative
Crois-moi, c'est la vérité.
Believe me, it's the truth.
Croyons en un avenir meilleur.
Let's believe in a better future.
Croyez en vos rêves !
Believe in your dreams!
