Express an opinion and support it

What you’ll learn

• State a view with creo que or en mi opinión.
• Support a claim with a relevant example.
• Disagree politely while preserving the other person's actual point.

A view needs support

En mi opinión introduces a viewpoint without claiming universal agreement. Creo que and pienso que commonly take the indicative in an affirmative assertion: Creo que el plan funciona. Follow the view with a reason and a concrete example. A reason should support the particular claim, not merely repeat it with different words.

Separate observation from interpretation. El viaje dura dos horas reports a detail; el viaje es demasiado largo evaluates it. A useful argument explains the criterion behind the evaluation. For a reading discussion, quote or paraphrase only what the story actually says, then identify your inference as an inference.

Disagree with a reason

You can acknowledge part of another view before disagreeing: Entiendo tu punto, pero... No estoy de acuerdo con... identifies the view you question. Keep the disagreement about the idea, not a personal judgment of the speaker. A question such as ¿En qué te basas? asks what supports the claim.

A negated belief often frames the dependent clause with the subjunctive: No creo que sea la mejor opción. That differs from an affirmative assertion such as Creo que es una buena opción. Context can affect mood, but these are useful starting contrasts. End by naming the alternative or evidence that would make your position clearer.

Useful vocabulary

en mi opinión

in my opinion

por ejemplo

for example

estar de acuerdo

to agree

Common mistakes

• A repeated claim is not a supporting reason.
• Distinguish what the text states from what you infer.
• Keep disagreement focused on the idea and its evidence.

Keep these ideas

• State a view, give a reason and add a relevant example.
• Acknowledge another perspective before explaining a disagreement.
• Use mood and wording to show assertion or doubt clearly.

Use it in your life

Discuss a character's decision in one short paragraph. Include one textual detail and one explicitly labeled personal interpretation.

Read it in context

Look for this lesson’s ideas in a complete Spanish story. Read the passage first, then use its translations to check your understanding.