Opinar Examples, Sentences & Quiz in Spanish

The Spanish verb opinar means to think, to have an opinion. You can learn its forms from the full opinar conjugation, but forms on their own are not enough: you need to see the verb in real sentences, in conversation, and in the mistakes people actually make. That is what this page is for. Below you will find example sentences grouped by use, two short dialogues, the common mistakes, a ten-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions learners ask most. One sentence to start: Yo opino que es una buena idea. — "I think that it is a good idea."

Opinar example sentences

Everyday use — the present tense

  1. Yo opino que es una buena idea. — "I think that it is a good idea."
  2. Tú opinas sobre el tema. — "you think about the topic."
  3. Él opina que no es justo. — "he/she thinks that it is not fair."
  4. Nosotros opinamos en voz alta. — "we think out loud."

Talking about the past

  1. Yo opiné que no es justo. — "I thought that it is not fair."
  2. Él opinaba en voz alta. — "he/she used to think out loud."
  3. Nosotros opinamos con sinceridad. — "we thought sincerely."

Plans and wishes

  1. Yo opinaré con sinceridad. — "I will think sincerely."
  2. Tú opinarías lo mismo que yo. — "you would think the same as me."

More examples with opinar

  1. Opino que es una buena idea. — "I think that it is a good idea."
  2. Mi profesor opina sobre el tema con sinceridad. — "My teacher gives his opinion on the topic sincerely."
  3. Ayer opiné que no es justo. — "Yesterday I said that it is not fair."
  4. De estudiante, opinaba en voz alta en clase. — "As a student, I used to give my opinion out loud in class."
  5. Mañana opinaré sobre el tema en la reunión. — "Tomorrow I will give my opinion on the topic at the meeting."
  6. Si me preguntaran, opinaría que es una buena idea. — "If they asked me, I would say that it is a good idea."

Opinar in conversation

Two short dialogues using opinar naturally. Read them out loud: hearing the verb in a question and an answer is the fastest way to make the forms stick.

Dialogue 1: making plans

María: ¿Tú opinas que es una buena idea? Carlos: Sí, yo opino que es una buena idea. ¿Y tú? María: Yo también. ¿Opina sobre el tema? Carlos: Sí, él opina sobre el tema todos los días. María: ¿Y mañana? ¿Tú opinarás que no es justo? Carlos: Sí, mañana yo opinaré que no es justo.

In this dialogue María asks Carlos what he does, and then they talk about tomorrow. Notice how the verb changes with the person: opinas for tú, opino for yo, opina for él. The future forms at the end (opinarás, opinaré) show the same verb talking about tomorrow.

Dialogue 2: talking about yesterday

Ana: ¿Tú opinas en voz alta? Luis: Sí, yo opino en voz alta. ¿Y tú? Ana: Yo también. ¿Opina con sinceridad? Luis: Sí, él opina con sinceridad todos los días. Ana: ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú opinaste en voz alta? Luis: Sí, ayer yo opiné en voz alta.

Here Ana asks Luis about yesterday, so the answers use the preterite: opiné for yo, opinaste for tú. The preterite is the right choice because yesterday is finished; the present would describe a habit instead.

Common mistakes with opinar in the present

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why it is wrong.

1. Yo opina que es una buena idea.

Wrong: Yo opina que es una buena idea.

Right: Yo opino que es una buena idea.

The yo form ends in -o: opino. Opina is the él/ella form.

2. Opino sobre el tema que es una buena idea.

Wrong: Opino sobre el tema que es una buena idea.

Right: Opino que es una buena idea.

When you give an opinion with que, you do not need sobre: opino que es una buena idea. Opinar sobre el tema is for the topic itself.

3. Confusing opinar with pensar

Opinar is stating an opinion; pensar is thinking in general. Opinas en un debate, pero piensas en tu familia en casa.

4. Using the present for a finished past action

Wrong: Ayer yo opino que es una buena idea.

Right: Ayer yo opiné que es una buena idea.

Ayer (yesterday) signals a finished action, so it needs the preterite: opiné. The present describes what you do now or usually.

Quiz: opinar in use

Ten questions across five tenses. Choose the right form for each sentence, then check the answers at the end of this section.

  1. Tú ___ que es una buena idea (present)
    • a) opinas
    • b) opino
    • c) opina
    • d) opinamos
  2. Nosotros ___ sobre el tema (preterite)
    • a) opiné
    • b) opinaste
    • c) opinó
    • d) opinamos
  3. Ellos ___ que no es justo (imperfect)
    • a) opinabas
    • b) opinaba
    • c) opinaban
    • d) opinaba
  4. Tú ___ en voz alta (future)
    • a) opinaremos
    • b) opinarás
    • c) opinaré
    • d) opinará
  5. Nosotros ___ con sinceridad (conditional)
    • a) opinaríamos
    • b) opinaría
    • c) opinarías
    • d) opinaría
  6. Ellos ___ lo mismo que yo (present)
    • a) opino
    • b) opinas
    • c) opina
    • d) opinan
  7. Tú ___ que es una buena idea (preterite)
    • a) opinó
    • b) opinamos
    • c) opinaste
    • d) opiné
  8. Nosotros ___ sobre el tema (imperfect)
    • a) opinaba
    • b) opinábamos
    • c) opinaba
    • d) opinabas
  9. Ellos ___ que no es justo (future)
    • a) opinarán
    • b) opinaré
    • c) opinarás
    • d) opinará
  10. Tú ___ en voz alta (conditional)
  • a) opinaría
  • b) opinaría
  • c) opinaríamos
  • d) opinarías

Answers

  1. a) opinas — the present form, for tú.
  2. d) opinamos — the preterite form, for nosotros/as.
  3. c) opinaban — the imperfect form, for ellos/ellas/Uds..
  4. b) opinarás — the future form, for tú.
  5. a) opinaríamos — the conditional form, for nosotros/as.
  6. d) opinan — the present form, for ellos/ellas/Uds..
  7. c) opinaste — the preterite form, for tú.
  8. b) opinábamos — the imperfect form, for nosotros/as.
  9. a) opinarán — the future form, for ellos/ellas/Uds..
  10. d) opinarías — the conditional form, for tú.

Frequently asked questions about opinar

What is the difference between opinar and pensar?

Opinar is giving an opinion, usually in public: opino que es una buena idea. Pensar is the general verb for thinking: pienso en ti. Opinar is more formal and more specific.

Is opinar regular?

Yes, opinar is a regular -ar verb: opino, opinas, opina, opinamos, opináis, opinan.

What are the gerund and the past participle of opinar?

The gerund is opinando, used with estar for the progressive (estoy opinando), and the past participle is opinado, used with haber for the perfect tenses (he opinado).

Is opinar regular?

Yes, it is a regular -ar verb. The present is opino, opinas, opina, opinamos, opináis, opinan, and the full tables are on the opinar conjugation page.

How to remember opinar

Four small habits will fix opinar in your memory. First, say the present tense out loud, in order, three times: opino, opinas, opina, opinamos, opináis, opinan. Saying the forms is far more effective than reading them silently, because you hear the endings and the stem at the same time. Second, write three sentences about your own life: one about today with the present (opino), one about yesterday with the preterite (opiné), and one about tomorrow with the future (opinaré). Personal sentences stick because they are about you, not about a textbook. Third, remember the difference from pensar: Opinar is stating an opinion; pensar is thinking in general. Opinas en un debate, pero piensas en tu familia en casa. Finally, learn the two key forms by heart: the gerund opinando and the past participle opinado. With those two and the present tense, you can already build the progressive (estoy opinando) and the present perfect (he opinado), which covers most everyday conversation.

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