What Does "À mon avis" Mean in French?

Learn How to Say "In My Opinion"

Friends are having a hot drink in a sidewalk cafe
Espresso est meilleur que le café américain, à mon avis. Espresso is better than American coffee, in my opinion.

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À mon avis is a French expression that means "in my opinion." It's a very common phrase and a great way to express your views on a topic. It's also very easy to add to a conversation.

The Meaning of À mon avis

À mon avis is pronounced ah mo nah vee. It literally means "in my view" though it's often translated as "in my opinion," "to my mind," or "I feel." It is, perhaps, the most common way to express one's opinion and is an alternative to using (and conjugating) verbs like penser (to think) or ​croire (to believe).

This phrase is in the normal register for French. It is acceptable to use it in both formal and informal conversations.

Express Anyone's Opinion

Not only can you express your own opinion using this phrase, but you can use it to talk about what other people think as well. It's a simple matter of changing the possessive adjective from mon (my) to another adjective that matches the subject you're referring to.

  • à mon avis - in my opinion
  • à ton avis - in your opinion
  • à son avis - in his/her opinion
  • à notre avis - in our opinion
  • à votre avis - in your opinion
  • à leur avis - in their opinion

Examples of À mon avis in Context

There are many ways that you can use à mon avis in your French conversations. Most often, it's used at either the beginning or the end of a sentence to clarify that you're stating a personal viewpoint.

  • À mon avis, c'est mieux de commencer tôt. - In my opinion, it's better to start early.
  • Espresso est meilleur que le café américain, à mon avis. - Espresso is better than American coffee, in my opinion.

Just as in English, the following can be either a genuine question or a sarcastic retort.

  • À ton avis ? - What do you think?
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Team, ThoughtCo. "What Does "À mon avis" Mean in French?" ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/a-mon-avis-1371084. Team, ThoughtCo. (2023, April 5). What Does "À mon avis" Mean in French? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/a-mon-avis-1371084 Team, ThoughtCo. "What Does "À mon avis" Mean in French?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/a-mon-avis-1371084 (accessed April 19, 2024).