Chinese phrases
How to say let me think in Chinese
Let me think in Chinese is 让我想想 (ràng wǒ xiǎng xiang). In fast speech, people often drop the 让 and say 我想想.
让我想想
let me think
The second 想 is light and short: xiǎng xiang. Doubling a verb makes the action short and casual, “think for a moment.”
Ways to say let me think
让我想想
Everydaylet me think
Someone asks you a question and you need a moment.
我想想
Everydaylet me think
The short form. Very common in conversation.
这个嘛
With friendswell…
A filler while you look for an answer, often before a careful or a negative one.
我再想想
Everydaylet me think it over
You are not ready to decide. In a shop it usually means you will not buy now.
我考虑一下
FormalI’ll think about it
For an offer, a job or a plan. It is often a polite no.
回头再说
With friendslet’s talk about it later
Puts a decision off, sometimes for good.
Common mistakes
Hearing 我考虑一下 as a maybe
When people answer an offer with 我考虑一下 or 我再想想, they often mean no and don’t want to say it directly. Don’t press for an answer.
Saying 让我思考一下
思考 is “to reflect on,” and it belongs in writing and speeches. In conversation, 让我想想 sounds natural and 让我思考一下 sounds stiff.
Reading 我想 as “I think”
Before another verb, 想 means “want to”: 我想去 is “I want to go.” For an opinion, “I think…,” people usually say 我觉得.
Ordering a drink
您想喝点什么？
Waiter: What would you like to drink?
让我想想……有什么推荐吗？
Leon: Let me think… What do you recommend?
我们的柠檬茶很好喝。
Waiter: Our lemon tea is very good.
好，那就来一杯柠檬茶。
Leon: OK, a lemon tea then.
