New concept
The opinion ladder
An Italian opinion almost always starts with an opener that sets how strongly you mean it. From gentlest to firmest:
| Opener | Strength | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Penso che… / Credo che… | gentle | I think (that)… |
| Direi che… | gentle | I'd say (that)… |
| Secondo me,… | neutral | In my opinion,… |
| Dal mio punto di vista,… | neutral–firm | From my point of view,… |
| Per me,… | personal | For me,… |
| Sinceramente,… | honest–firm | Honestly,… |
| Sono sicuro / sicura che… | firm | I'm sure (that)… |
| Senza alcun dubbio,… | firmest | Without any doubt,… |
Watch the mood: penso che and credo che take the congiuntivo; the others take the indicative.
- Penso che quel film sia sopravvalutato.
- Secondo me quel film è sopravvalutato. — In my opinion that film is overrated.