думать vs подумать

dumat vs podumat — think / be thinking vs think for a while or decide

What it really means

Думать is imperfective: it describes thinking as a state, process, habit, or opinion. Подумать is perfective: it means to think something over for a limited time or to have a thought/decision as one completed event.

With о + prepositional, both mean “think about.” Use подумать when you mean “give it some thought,” not simply “have an opinion.”

Examples in natural speech

Я думаю о тебе.
I am thinking about you.
Что ты думаешь об этом?
What do you think about this?
Дай мне подумать.
Let me think.
Я подумал и согласился.
I thought it over and agreed.
Подумай о последствиях.
Think about the consequences.

Common mistakes

Do not use подумать for a continuing opinion: “Я думаю, что...” means “I think that...” Подумать normally needs a bounded occasion, as in “I will think it over.”

Memory tip

Думать keeps the thinking open; the prefix по- makes a short, bounded spell of thought.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between думать and подумать?

Думать is ongoing or habitual thinking and is also used for opinions. Подумать is one completed spell of thinking, often “think it over.”

How do I say let me think in Russian?

Say “Дай мне подумать.” The perfective form means “let me give it some thought.”

Can подумать mean decide?

Yes. In context, “Я подумал” can imply that after considering something, you reached a conclusion or decision.

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