Chinese for Formal Meetings: Giving Opinions with 我认为 and 在我看来
Learn to state opinions politely in formal Chinese meetings using 我认为, 在我看来, 我觉得 and 我同意/我不同意, with clear grammar patterns, a short dialogue and practice questions.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
In formal Chinese meetings, stating an opinion is not only about vocabulary; it is about choosing a phrase that matches the level of politeness and the structure of the discussion. This lesson teaches a small set of reliable opinion phrases for professional settings: 我认为 (wǒ rènwéi), 在我看来 (zài wǒ kànlái), 我觉得 (wǒ juéde), and responses such as 我同意 (wǒ tóngyì) and 我不同意 (wǒ bù tóngyì). You will learn where to place these phrases in a sentence, how to soften disagreement, and how to sound clear but not aggressive. The focus is formal meetings only; casual opinions with friends are not covered here. All examples use Mandarin, simplified Chinese and pinyin with tone marks.
By the end, you can…
- state a formal opinion in a meeting using 我认为 or 在我看来.
- agree or disagree politely in a professional discussion.
- use 我觉得 to give a slightly softer opinion in a meeting.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
我认为这个方案很好。
I think this plan is very good.
wǒ rènwéi zhège fāng'àn hěn hǎo.
Use 我认为 in formal meetings to introduce your judgment. It is more formal than 我觉得.
在我看来，我们需要更多时间。
From my point of view, we need more time.
zài wǒ kànlái, wǒmen xūyào gèng duō shíjiān.
在我看来 often comes at the beginning of a sentence and is followed by a comma. It signals a personal perspective.
我觉得这个建议可以讨论。
I think this suggestion can be discussed.
wǒ juéde zhège jiànyì kěyǐ tǎolùn.
我觉得 is common in meetings but slightly less formal than 我认为. It softens your statement.
我同意你的看法。
I agree with your view.
wǒ tóngyì nǐ de kànfǎ.
Use this to agree directly but politely. 看法 means 'view' or 'opinion'.
我不同意，因为成本太高。
I disagree, because the cost is too high.
wǒ bù tóngyì, yīnwèi chéngběn tài gāo.
A direct disagreement followed by a reason. In formal settings, adding 因为 makes it sound more reasoned.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A very useful pattern is: opinion phrase + subject + verb phrase. For example, 我认为这个方案很好 (wǒ rènwéi zhège fāng'àn hěn hǎo) means 'I think this plan is very good.' Here 我认为 is the opinion phrase, 这个方案 is the subject, and 很好 is the comment. You can also use 在我看来 at the start: 在我看来，我们需要更多时间 (zài wǒ kànlái, wǒmen xūyào gèng duō shíjiān). Notice that Chinese does not change the verb for 'I' or 'we'; the same form 需要 works for both. To disagree, use 我不同意 + reason: 我不同意，因为成本太高 (wǒ bù tóngyì, yīnwèi chéngběn tài gāo).
When to use it
Use 我认为 in formal meetings when you want to sound clear and professional, especially when presenting a judgment: 我认为这个方案很好. Use 在我看来 when you want to emphasize that this is your personal perspective, often at the start of a turn: 在我看来，我们需要更多时间. Use 我觉得 when you want a slightly softer tone, for example when you are not fully certain: 我觉得这个建议可以讨论. For agreement, 我同意你的看法 is safe and polite. For disagreement, 我不同意 is direct; in many formal meetings it is common to add a reason with 因为, as in 我不同意，因为成本太高. Avoid using casual phrases like 随便 (suíbiàn) or 还行 (hái xíng) in formal meetings; they can sound too relaxed.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
我认为这个方案很好。
I think this plan is very good.wǒ rènwéi zhège fāng'àn hěn hǎo.我同意你的看法，但是我们需要更多时间。
I agree with your view, but we need more time.wǒ tóngyì nǐ de kànfǎ, dànshì wǒmen xūyào gèng duō shíjiān.在我看来，时间不是问题，成本才是问题。
From my point of view, time is not the problem; cost is the problem.zài wǒ kànlái, shíjiān bú shì wèntí, chéngběn cái shì wèntí.我不同意，因为成本太高。
I disagree, because the cost is too high.wǒ bù tóngyì, yīnwèi chéngběn tài gāo.A little context goes a long way
In many Chinese professional meetings, direct disagreement is acceptable when it is followed by a reason. A bare 我不同意 can sound abrupt, so adding 因为 plus a concrete point, such as 因为成本太高, makes your objection sound reasoned rather than personal. Also, 我认为 and 在我看来 are common in formal settings, while 我觉得 is slightly softer and may appear in both formal and semi-formal meetings. Choose based on how formal the meeting is and how strong you want your position to sound.
One thing to watch for
Learners often say 我觉得 in very formal meetings because it is easy, but it can sound too casual when a strong professional opinion is expected.
Try this instead: In a formal meeting, prefer 我认为 or 在我看来 for clear opinions. For example, say 我认为这个方案很好 instead of 我觉得这个方案很好 when you want a more formal tone. 我觉得 is still correct, but it is softer and less formal.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'In my view, this plan is very good' in formal Chinese?
Show a sample answer
我认为这个方案很好。
我认为 is the formal opinion phrase, and 这个方案很好 gives the judgment. 在我看来这个方案很好 is also possible, but it shifts the focus to your perspective.
2You agree with a colleague's view. What polite phrase can you use?
Show a sample answer
我同意你的看法。
This directly agrees and is polite. You could also say 我同意你的意见, which is very similar; 看法 and 意见 both mean 'view' or 'opinion' here.
3You disagree because the cost is too high. Give a full sentence.
Show a sample answer
我不同意，因为成本太高。
This uses 我不同意 plus 因为 to give a reason. You could also say 我认为成本太高，所以我不同意, which is also correct and slightly more formal.
In formal Chinese meetings, use 我认为 or 在我看来 for clear opinions, 我觉得 for a softer tone, and 我同意/我不同意 with 因为 for polite agreement or disagreement.
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