Are there any differences between "I believe" vs "I think" vs "I reckon"?

Question

These are the three most common ways to say "I think." (At least, I believe so. I mean, I think so. Um...)Are there any subtle differences between them? Are there situations where one of the three is more suitable than the others? Can you say you hear a particular form all the time in the streets, while the other two are much less common?

Answer 1

All three of these words are similar, but they do in fact have different meanings. If you "believe" something, you accept something as true. This may involve thinking. It may also be based on intuition or whatever you deem to be the understanding of believing what is in your heart. When you "think" something, you are not admitting belief. Otherwise, you would "know". It implies an opinion or belief, but does not confirm if it is substantiated. Also, "think" sometimes can imply uncertainty. Lastly, "reckon" is an informal way of stating that you "believe" something.