Pensez

Pensez is the second-person plural present indicative form of the French verb penser, meaning to think. It is also the imperative form used when addressing multiple people or using the formal “you” (Pensez !). The infinitive is penser, and the corresponding forms in the present tense are je pense, tu penses, il pense, nous pensons, vous pensez, ils pensent. The form pensez thus appears in two grammatical roles: as vous pensez in the present tense and as Pensez! in the imperative.

In everyday use, penser expresses both simple thinking and considering a matter. Examples include “Vous pensez qu’il va pleuvoir?” (Do you think it will rain?) and “Pensez à vérifier votre travail.” (Think to check your work / Remember to check your work.) French also uses common verb constructions with penser, such as penser à (to think about / to remember to) and penser de (to have an opinion about). The pronunciation of pensez follows standard rules for -er verbs, with the final -ez sounding like a soft [e].

Etymology and related forms: penser derives from Old French penser, ultimately tracing back to Latin pensāre, meaning to weigh or consider. Related words include pensée (thought) and penser à, penser de, as well as various tenses built from the same stem.

See also: penser, pensée, penser à, penser de.