“Believe” and “believe in” are really close but different. A native speaker intuitively knows when to use which, but this is a nightmare for learners. As you may know, phrasal verbs have no connection with the two parts, and this is true for “believe in.” I discuss lots of differences between words, but what exactly is the difference between these?
“Believe” is about trusting words. It is close in meaning to “be sure of.”
I don’t believe you!
= You are lying!
I believed my mom when she told me she was tired.
= My mom was telling the truth.
“Believe in” is about having a hope that something is morally good or right OR about thinking something exists. It is close in meaning to “support.”
I believe in the kindness of mankind.
= I think it is true that people are naturally kind.
I believe in you!
= I have hope that you will do well. You can do it! You’ll go great!
“Believe” is mostly focused on the truth of words. Someone is lying, or someone is telling the truth.
I don’t believe the government.
= The government is lying.
“Believe in” is mostly focused on the goodness, the future success, or the existence of something or someone.
He is an athiest. He doesn’t believe in God.
= He does not think God exists.
These two expressions, “believe” and “believe in,” are very close, but we should be careful because they are very different. If someone “didn’t believe God,” that means they think God is real, but he is lying. This is wrong and probably not what you meant.
If someone “believes in the news,” that means they think the news will do great things, or they think the news is real and exists. This is wrong and probably not what you meant.
Here is an example with the exact same noun so that you can see the change in meaning:
I believe what the president is saying.
= I think the president is not lying. He is telling the truth.
I believe in what the president is saying.
= The president’s words inspire me. He gave me hope. I think what he is saying is good and fair. I support the president’s opinion.
Let’s try to use these two words correctly in the future. “Believe” and “believe in” are very tricky, but you will sound like a native if you use them correctly. To sound more like a native, visit my YouTube channel for good language learning tips!
