Pattern
Common opinion phrases: cred că (I think that), mi se pare că (it seems to me that), după părerea mea (in my opinion), eu zic că (I say that), din punctul meu de vedere (from my point of view).
Explanation
To express an opinion politely and clearly, Romanian offers several stock phrases. Cred că is the most common and direct ("I think that"). Mi se pare că (literally "it appears to me that") softens the statement, leaving room for being wrong. După părerea mea is more formal and weighty.
These phrases pair with regular indicative clauses: Cred că ai dreptate (I think you're right). Mi se pare că plouă (It seems to me that it's raining). După părerea mea, e o idee bună (In my opinion, it's a good idea).
To soften further, you can add hedges: Cred că poate ai dreptate (I think maybe you're right). Mi se pare cumva că... (It somehow seems to me that...). To strengthen: Sunt sigur că... (I'm sure that...), Cu siguranță... (Certainly...).
For disagreement, Romanian has politer alternatives: Nu sunt convins (I'm not convinced), Nu cred (I don't think so), Mă îndoiesc (I doubt it), Aș zice mai degrabă (I'd rather say...).
Examples
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| Cred că ai dreptate. | I think you're right. |
| Mi se pare că e prea cald aici. | It seems to me it's too hot here. |
| După părerea mea, filmul e bun. | In my opinion, the film is good. |
| Eu zic că ar trebui să mergem acasă. | I say we should go home. |
| Din punctul meu de vedere, e o problemă. | From my point of view, it's a problem. |
Common mistakes
- Saying "în opinia mea" literally: Use după părerea mea — more natural in Romanian.
- Forgetting "că" after opinion verbs: Cred vine is wrong; it's Cred că vine.
- Using subjunctive after "cred că" for present opinion: Cred că să vină is wrong; just Cred că vine (indicative).