Expressing Opinions and Preferences in Catalan

Overview

Being able to express what you think, believe, and prefer is a key communicative skill at the A2 level. Catalan offers several structures for sharing opinions, from simple phrases like crec que (I think that) to more nuanced expressions like em sembla que (it seems to me that).

These structures typically combine an opinion verb or expression with the conjunction que followed by a statement. For preferences, Catalan uses preferir (to prefer) and comparative structures. Agreement and disagreement also have their own fixed expressions.

Mastering these phrases lets you participate in conversations, give your views, and respond to others' opinions naturally.

How It Works

Opinion Expressions

Catalan	English	Register
crec que	I think that	Neutral
penso que	I think that	Neutral
em sembla que	it seems to me that	Slightly softer
trobo que	I find that	Informal
estic segur/a que	I am sure that	Strong
em fa l'efecte que	I get the impression that	Moderate

Preferences

Catalan	English
prefereixo + noun/infinitive	I prefer
m'agrada més	I like more
m'estimo més	I'd rather (lit. I love myself more)

Agreement and Disagreement

Catalan	English
Estic d'acord.	I agree.
No estic d'acord.	I disagree.
Tens raó.	You're right.
No tens raó.	You're wrong.
Jo també.	Me too.
Jo tampoc.	Me neither.

Examples in Context

Catalan	English	Note
Crec que tens raó.	I think you're right.	Opinion + agreement
Em sembla que és massa car.	It seems to me that it's too expensive.	Softened opinion
Prefereixo el tren a l'avió.	I prefer the train to the plane.	Preference
No estic d'acord amb tu.	I disagree with you.	Disagreement
Penso que és una bona idea.	I think it's a good idea.	Positive opinion
M'agrada més el cinema que el teatre.	I like cinema more than theatre.	Comparative preference
Trobo que tens raó.	I find you're right.	Informal agreement
M'estimo més quedar-me a casa.	I'd rather stay at home.	Strong preference
Estic segura que vindrà.	I am sure he/she will come.	Certainty
Sí, jo també ho penso.	Yes, I think so too.	Agreement

Common Mistakes

Forgetting "que" after opinion verbs

• Wrong: Crec és una bona idea.
• Right: Crec que és una bona idea.
• Why: Opinion expressions require "que" before the subordinate clause.

Using "estic d'acord" with the wrong preposition

• Wrong: Estic d'acord en tu.
• Right: Estic d'acord amb tu.
• Why: The correct preposition is "amb" (with), not "en."

Confusing "preferir" construction with English

• Wrong: Prefereixo el tren que l'avió.
• Right: Prefereixo el tren a l'avió.
• Why: "Preferir X a Y" uses the preposition "a" (not "que") to introduce the less preferred option.

Practice Tips

1. Practice giving opinions about everyday topics: "Crec que el cafè és millor que el te. Em sembla que Barcelona és una ciutat fantàstica."
2. Have imaginary debates where you agree and disagree: "Tens raó." → "No estic d'acord, penso que..."
3. Use "preferir" to compare: foods, cities, activities. "Prefereixo cuinar a menjar fora. Prefereixo l'estiu a l'hivern."

Related Concepts

• Ser and Estar — verbs used in opinion expressions
• Comparatives and Superlatives — comparing at B1