Learn the difference between “thinking” and “believing” in Danish.
Welcome!
In English, we often say “I think” for many different situations:
- I think this movie is good.
- I think it will rain.
- I think he is at home.
But in Danish, you cannot always use the same word.
Instead, Danish uses two different verbs:
- synes → for opinions
- tror → for beliefs or guesses
Understanding this difference will help you sound much more natural in Danish.
1️⃣ “Synes” – Personal Opinions
Use synes when you are giving your personal opinion about something.
Examples:
Jeg synes, filmen er god.
I think the movie is good.
Jeg synes, dansk er svært.
I think Danish is difficult.
Hun synes, kaffen er stærk.
She thinks the coffee is strong.
Think of synes as meaning:
- in my opinion
- I feel that
- I find that
💡 If you are judging or describing something, use synes.
2️⃣ “Tror” – Beliefs or Guesses
Use tror when you believe something is true, but you are not completely sure.
Examples:
Jeg tror, det regner senere.
I think it will rain later.
Jeg tror, han er hjemme.
I think he is at home.
Hun tror, mødet starter klokken 10.
She thinks the meeting starts at 10.
Here, tror means:
- I believe
- I guess
- I assume
💡 If you are guessing or predicting, use tror.
3️⃣ A Simple Way to Remember
Ask yourself this question:
Is this an opinion or a guess?
Opinion → synes
Guess / belief → tror
Examples:
Opinion:
Jeg synes, restauranten er god.
I think the restaurant is good.
Guess:
Jeg tror, restauranten er lukket.
I think the restaurant is closed.
4️⃣ A Common Mistake
English speakers often say:
❌ Jeg tror, filmen er god.
This sounds strange in Danish because it sounds like you are guessing whether the movie is good.
The correct sentence is:
✅ Jeg synes, filmen er god.
5️⃣ Quick Comparison
| Danish | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Jeg synes, filmen er god | I think the movie is good (opinion) |
| Jeg tror, filmen starter kl. 8 | I think the movie starts at 8 (guess) |
🎯 Practice Time
Choose synes or tror.
1️⃣ I think Danish is interesting.
2️⃣ I think it will snow tomorrow.
3️⃣ I think this book is good.
4️⃣ I think she is at work.
Answers
1️⃣ Jeg synes, dansk er interessant.
2️⃣ Jeg tror, det sner i morgen.
3️⃣ Jeg synes, bogen er god.
4️⃣ Jeg tror, hun er på arbejde.
👍 Tip from Freja
A quick trick:
If you can replace “I think” with “in my opinion”, use synes.
If you mean “I believe” or “I guess”, use tror.