How to Say ‘I thought, though’ in French
Je croyais pourtant
zhuh krwah-YAY poor-TAHN
[zhuh krwah-YAY poor-TAHN]
💬 Usage Tip: [Pourtant] often means "though," "and yet," or "still," depending on context. It adds a little contrast, as in [Je croyais pourtant...] = "I thought, though..."
Phrase Breakdown
Je
[zhuh]
I
The subject pronoun 'I.' Very common in personal reactions and playful comments.
Je croyais pourtant que tu allais nier ton petit sourire.
I thought, though, that you were going to deny your little smile.
croyais
[krwah-YAY]
thought / believed
Imperfect form of 'croire' meaning 'was thinking' or 'thought.' It can sound teasing or lightly ironic.
Je croyais pourtant que tu n’aimais pas flirter au bar.
I thought, though, that you didn’t like flirting at the bar.
pourtant
[poor-TAHN]
though / however / yet
A small contrast word used to add gentle contradiction or playful pushback.
Je croyais pourtant que tu étais trop sage pour ça.
I thought, though, that you were too well-behaved for that.
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