Expressing Opinions with "Я думаю, что..."

1. The Most Common Way: Я думаю, что...

The most direct and widely used phrase to express an opinion in Russian is Я думаю, что... (Ya dumayu, shto...), which means "I think that...". The structure is simple: you just add the rest of your sentence after что.

Let's watch a short video clip that introduces this phrase.

As you just heard, you can say:

• Я думаю, что это хорошая идея. (I think that this is a good idea.)

Let's combine this with what we learned last lesson. Now you can say:

• Я думаю, что этот фильм интереснее, чем книга. (I think that this movie is more interesting than the book.)
• Я думаю, что играть в видеоигры весело. (I think that playing video games is fun.)

The word что can sometimes be omitted in casual speech, but as a learner, it's good practice to include it.

2. Alternatives for Expressing Opinions

While Я думаю is perfectly fine, native speakers use a variety of phrases to express their thoughts. Learning a few alternatives will significantly improve your conversational fluency.

Let's look at three of the most common alternatives:

• Мне кажется, что... (It seems to me that...) - Used for impressions, feelings, or when you're not 100% certain.
• По-моему... (In my opinion...) - A very common and slightly informal conversational opener.
• Я считаю, что... (I believe/consider that...) - Often implies a more firm or considered opinion.

This next video clip gives a great explanation of the subtle differences between Я думаю, Я считаю, and Мне кажется.

To see more examples of these phrases in writing, please review the following blog post. It provides clear examples for each expression.

3. Visual Summary

Here is a helpful image that summarizes the key phrases we've discussed. It's a great reference to save for your notes.

4. Practice

Now, let's practice. Try to form sentences expressing your own opinion on the following topics. You can use any of the phrases we learned today (Я думаю, что..., Мне кажется, что..., По-моему..., Я считаю, что...).

1. What do you think about a video game you recently played? (e.g., "I think [game name] is very interesting.")
2. What is your opinion on drawing or illustration? (e.g., "In my opinion, drawing is difficult but rewarding.")
3. What do you think about studying chemical engineering? (e.g., "It seems to me that chemical engineering is a complex subject.")

Here are some example answers. Try to formulate your own before looking.

Conclusion

Замечательно! (Wonderful!) You can now go beyond just stating facts and start sharing your own point of view in Russian.

Key Takeaways:

• The most standard way to say "I think" is Я думаю, что....
• To express a feeling or impression, you can use Мне кажется, что... (It seems to me that...).
• To state your opinion conversationally, you can start a sentence with По-моему... (In my opinion...).
• For a more considered or firm belief, you can use Я считаю, что... (I believe/consider that...).

Preview of the next lesson:
We've spent this module describing things and your opinions about them. In the next module, we'll shift focus to talking about location. You will learn about the prepositional case and how to use the prepositions в (in) and на (on/at) to say where things and people are. You'll soon be able to say "I am at work" or "The book is in the bag."