creio

Creio is the first-person singular present indicative form of the Portuguese verb crer, meaning I believe or I trust. It is used to express belief in a proposition, confidence about something, or acceptance of a statement as true. In contemporary usage, creio tends to appear in formal, literary, or philosophical contexts, while everyday speech often prefers acreditar or eu acho, especially in Brazilian Portuguese.

Etymology and related forms: Crer derives from Latin credere and is cognate with Spanish creer, French croire, and Italian credere. The verb is irregular in its present tense, with forms such as eu creio, tu crês, ele crê, nós cremos, vós credes, eles creem. In Brazilian Portuguese the second-person forms are typically replaced by você, resulting in eu creio, você crê, ele crê, nós cremos, vocês creem.

Usage notes: Creio is commonly followed by a clause introduced by que, as in creio que ele virá, and the clause can use the indicative when the speaker regards the proposition as true, or the subjunctive when expressing doubt, uncertainty, or a future possibility (creio que ele venha). The distinction between crer and acreditar is subtle: crer often emphasizes belief in the truth of a proposition, while acreditar can also imply trust or confidence in a person or thing; creio tends to be more formal or literary.

Examples: Creio que a reunião começa às nove. Não creio nisso. Creio que ele está certo, mas talvez seja arriscado confiar plenamente.

See also: crer; acreditar; fé.