Meaning
La phrase anglaise « I'm thinking about/of » signifie que vous êtes en train de réfléchir ou de considérer quelque chose. Elle est souvent utilisée pour exprimer des pensées ou des réflexions sur un sujet particulier ou une action future. Par exemple, si vous dites « I'm thinking about going on vacation », cela signifie que vous envisagez la possibilité de partir en vacances.
La différence entre « about » et « of » est subtile, mais généralement, « about » est utilisé pour indiquer que vous réfléchissez à quelque chose de plus général, tandis que « of » peut indiquer une réflexion plus spécifique ou personnelle. Cependant, dans de nombreux contextes, les deux peuvent être interchangeables sans changer significativement le sens de la phrase.
Utiliser « I'm thinking about/of » est un moyen efficace de partager vos pensées ou vos projets avec quelqu'un, en montrant que vous êtes dans un processus de réflexion active. Cela peut aussi inviter l'interlocuteur à donner son avis ou à poser des questions sur le sujet en question.
Exemples :- I'm thinking about changing my job. (Je réfléchis à changer de travail.)
- I'm thinking of you. (Je pense à vous.)
Today's Sentences
- I'm thinking about quitting my job.
- I'm thinking about buying a new car.
- I'm thinking about proposing to my girlfriend.
- I'm thinking about moving to France.
- I'm thinking about getting a tattoo.
- Writer's Note
01
I'm thinking of quitting my job.
Situation 1
Are you stressed?
Yes, work is getting to me.
Is everything ok?
I’m thinking of quitting my job.
Situation 2
I’m thinking of quitting my job.
Oh no. Did something happen at work?
Not really but I do hate my boss.
I understand.
02
I'm thinking about buying a new car.
Situation
I’m thinking about buying a new car.
That’s great!
Have you narrowed down a few models?
Avez-vous identifié quelques modèles ?
Not yet.
I can't afford to spend too much.
Je ne peux pas me permettre de dépenser trop.
I understand. It’s a huge investment.
03
I'm thinking about proposing to my girlfriend.
Situation
How’s your relationship going?
Great!
I’m thinking about proposing to my girlfriend.
Je pense à faire ma demande en mariage à ma petite amie.
Really?
Things must be going well.
Les choses doivent bien se passer.
They are! I’m happy.
04
I'm thinking about moving to France.
Situation 1
How have you been?
Anything new?
Y a-t-il quelque chose de nouveau ?
Good.
I’m thinking about moving to France.
Je pense à déménager en France.
Really?
Why France?
Pourquoi la France?
There’s so much history there and I love the culture.
Situation 2
I’m thinking of moving to France.
Oh, what part of France?
I’d love to live in Paris.
I guess you could start with looking for possible jobs.
05
I'm thinking about getting a tattoo.
Situation 1
What do you think about body art?
You mean getting a tattoo?
Yea, I’m thinking about getting a tattoo.
I’m all for self-expression.
Go for it!
Allez-y !
Situation 2
I’m thinking of getting a tattoo.
Do you have a design?
I did some searching online for designs.
Do you know any artists?
Connaissez-vous des artistes ?
Actually,
one of my good friends is a tattoo artist.
un de mes bons amis est tatoueur.
Writer’s Note
Important tip! You want to avoid saying "I’m thinking to" because it is grammatically incorrect.
Example:
❌ "I’m thinking to change my mind" or "I’m thinking to make pasta" are incorrect.
✅ You want to aim for "I’m thinking of" + gerund’ or "I’m thinking about verb+ing".
❌ "I’m thinking to change my mind" ou "I’m thinking to make pasta" sont incorrects.
✅ Vous devriez viser "I’m thinking of" + gérondif ou "I’m thinking about verb+ing".
Both "I’m thinking about" and "I’m thinking of" are used to talk about something you're considering or imagining. They’re often interchangeable, but can feel slightly different in tone:
"I’m thinking about"→ often used for processes or reflections
"I’m thinking of" → often used for specific ideas, plans, or mental images.
Here are a few more fun examples to help you:
"I'm thinking about"
- I’m thinking about writing a children’s book based on my cat’s daily adventures.
- I’m thinking about what it would be like to live in a treehouse.
- I’m thinking about starting a podcast where I interview my grandparents.
- I’m thinking about taking a month off just to explore small towns and sketch them.
- I’m thinking about how weirdly quiet the world gets at 4 a.m.
"I'm thinking of"
- I’m thinking of turning my closet into a secret reading nook.
- I’m thinking of naming my bread dough, "Martha".
- I’m thinking of baking something I’ve never tried—like a lavender lemon tart.
- I’m thinking of sending handwritten letters instead of texts for a week.
- I’m thinking of creating a short film based entirely on everyday sounds.
Speaking incorrect grammatical sentences will make it harder for the listener to understand what you are trying to say. So make sure you practice out loud, record and listen to your own voice to get comfortable with these expressions.
