Spanish grammar · Beginner
Creer Conjugation: Every Tense with Examples
Creer means to believe or to think (have an opinion). Mostly regular -er. Preterite 3rd person shifts i→y (creyó, creyeron). Imperfect / past participle carry accent on í (creía, creído).
Creo que sí.
I think so.
What it is
Creer means to believe or to think (have an opinion). Mostly regular -er with two spelling quirks: 3rd-person preterite shifts i→y (creyó, creyeron), and the imperfect / past participle carry an accent on every í (creía, creído).
In Creo que sí (I think so), creo is the regular yo present. Negative no creer que triggers subjunctive: No creo que sea verdad (I don't think it's true).
How to spot it
Present is regular. Preterite 3rd person: creyó, creyeron. Imperfect and past participle: creía, creído (with accents).
- Creo que tienes razón. — I think you're right.
- No me lo creyó. — She didn't believe me.
- He creído en ti. — I've believed in you.
Same i→y family as leer (leyó), caer (cayó), oír (oyó). All -eer / -aer / -oír verbs share this preterite pattern.
Creer Conjugation Quick Reference
Creer at a glance, the most-used forms across tenses
| Person | Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Future | Subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | creo | creí | creía | creeré | crea |
| tú | crees | creíste | creías | creerás | creas |
| él/ella/Ud. | cree | creyó | creía | creerá | crea |
| nosotros | creemos | creímos | creíamos | creeremos | creamos |
| vosotros | creéis | creísteis | creíais | creeréis | creáis |
| ellos/Uds. | creen | creyeron | creían | creerán | crean |
Common Creer Conjugation Examples in Spanish
Creer covers believing facts, having opinions, religious / general belief, and trusting people:
Opinions (Creer Que)
- Creo que es buena idea.
- I think it's a good idea.
- Creemos que tienes razón.
- We think you're right.
- ¿Crees que va a llover?
- Do you think it's going to rain?
Creer que + indicative for opinions. The most common way to express I think in Spanish.
Believing (Trusting Truth)
- Te creo.
- I believe you.
- No me lo creyeron.
- They didn't believe me.
- Cree todo lo que dice.
- She believes everything he says.
Creer + direct object = trust / believe (a person or what they say).
Belief In Something
- Creo en ti.
- I believe in you.
- No cree en Dios.
- He doesn't believe in God.
- Creemos en el proyecto.
- We believe in the project.
Creer en + noun = believe in (faith / conviction).
Subjunctive Trigger (No Creer Que)
- No creo que venga.
- I don't think he's coming.
- No creemos que sea verdad.
- We don't think it's true.
- ¿Crees que sea fácil?
- Do you think it's easy? (some speakers use subjunctive in questions)
No creer que triggers subjunctive in the dependent clause.
How to Conjugate Creer Across Tenses
Present, Regular -er
Fully regular: creo, crees, cree, creemos, creéis, creen.
Yo creo, tú crees, él cree, nosotros creemos, vosotros creéis, ellos creen.
I believe, you believe, he believes, we believe, you all believe, they believe.
No stem changes in the present, same pattern as como, leo.
Preterite, I→Y in 3rd Person
Yo / tú / nosotros / vosotros take accented í: creí, creíste, creímos, creísteis. 3rd person shifts i→y: creyó, creyeron.
Creí lo que me dijiste. Él no me creyó.
I believed what you told me. He didn't believe me.
Same i→y family as leer (leyó), caer (cayó), oír (oyó), poseer (poseyó).
Imperfect, Accent on Every Í
Imperfect carries accent on every í: creía, creías, creía, creíamos, creíais, creían.
Antes creía en Santa Claus.
I used to believe in Santa Claus.
Required because of the hiatus (e-í-a), same as leía, traía, caía.
Past Participle, Creído (With Accent)
Past participle is creído (with accent on í). Used in compound tenses: he creído, había creído, haya creído.
He creído en ti siempre.
I've always believed in you.
Same accent rule as leído, traído, caído, break the hiatus with accented í.
Common Mistakes with Creer Conjugation
Incorrect: Él me creió. — He believed me. (wrong, 3rd person preterite i→y)
Correct: Él me creyó. — He believed me.
Creer shifts i→y in 3rd-person preterite to avoid an unstressed i between vowels. Creyó / creyeron.
Incorrect: He creido en ti. — I've believed in you. (wrong, past participle needs accent)
Correct: He creído en ti. — I've believed in you.
Creído carries an accent on í because of the hiatus (e-í-o). Required in writing.
Incorrect: No creo que es verdad. — I don't think it's true. (wrong, needs subjunctive)
Correct: No creo que sea verdad. — I don't think it's true.
No creer que triggers subjunctive in the dependent clause. Use sea (subjunctive), not es (indicative).
Creer Across Every Tense
Mostly regular -er with two spelling adjustments: i→y in 3rd-person preterite, accent on í in imperfect and past participle.
Present (Regular)
Fully regular -er.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Same as como, bebo, leo.
Preterite (I→Y in 3rd Person)
3rd person shifts i→y.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Same family as leyó, cayó, oyó.
Imperfect (Accent on Every Í)
Creía, creías, creía..., accent required throughout.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Same accent pattern as leía, traía.
Future, Conditional, Past Participle
Future / conditional regular. Past participle creído carries accent.
| yo (future) |
| yo (conditional) |
| yo (present subjunctive) |
| yo (present perfect) |
Subjunctive: crea, creas, crea, creamos, creáis, crean (regular).
Creer Conjugation FAQs
- What does creer mean and when do you use it in Spanish?
- Creer means to believe or to think (have an opinion). Used for opinions (Creo que sí = I think so), believing people / facts (Te creo = I believe you), and faith (Creo en Dios = I believe in God).
- How does creer conjugate in the present tense?
- Creo, crees, cree, creemos, creéis, creen. Fully regular -er, no stem changes in the present.
- What's the preterite of creer?
- Creí, creíste, creyó, creímos, creísteis, creyeron. 3rd person singular and plural shift i→y (creyó, creyeron). Other forms carry accents on í to mark the hiatus.
- When does creer trigger the subjunctive?
- No creer que triggers subjunctive in the dependent clause. No creo que sea verdad (I don't think it's true) uses sea (subjunctive). Affirmative creer que takes indicative.
- How can I get better at conjugating creer?
- Creer is one of the most common verbs for expressing opinions and beliefs. Exposure to creo / creí / creyó / creía in real contexts is the fastest path. Parrot's daily videos feature creer naturally.