Meaning
have faith or confidence in; support the existence, truth, or merits of something
Primary Function
expressing belief, trust, or endorsement
Communicative Purpose
to convey personal conviction, encourage others, or assert a principle
Pattern
believe in
Core Structure
believe in
Função primária
expressing belief, trust, or endorsement
Propósito comunicativo
to convey personal conviction, encourage others, or assert a principle
Situações de gatilho
motivational speeches, religious contexts, moments requiring encouragement
Contextos
everyday conversation, professional settings (e.g., leadership), academic writing
Padrão
believe in
Estrutura central
believe in
Slots de substituição
yourself, hard work ethic, ghosts/spirits, the system/theory of change
Colocados típicos
- truly
- strongly
- no longer (to abandon previous doubt)
Substituições comuns
- have faith in
- trust in
- be a believer in
Erros comuns
'*believe to' instead of 'in'; mixing with ‘believe’ alone which means accept as true without an object.
Similar / contraste
trust vs. believe – where ‘trust’ often implies reliance on reliability rather than deep conviction.
Interferências
Cultural differences: In some languages the preposition may differ or be omitted entirely, leading learners to misuse it (e.g., using “believes” when they mean simple acceptance).
Família do chunk
- believer
Nuance
Carries a connotation of sincere commitment and personal endorsement beyond mere factual acceptance.
Efeito pragmático
Inspires confidence in others; signals sincerity and authority in persuasion.
Dica de memória
“Believe in yourself.”
Nota
This chunk is used to express strong personal conviction or endorsement, often in motivational or persuasive contexts.
Upgrade path
believe in second chances
Log in to save chunks.