[Grammar] I think to order a pizza, please!

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yuriya

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I think to order a pizza, please!

Hello, everyone. I got curious about using infinitives after the verb think. I am quite familiar with constructions like think about/of doing something but not with think to do something. In fact, I've perused my old grammar books and couldn't find such a structure. Is it kind of colloquial to use infinitives after think?
I've posted a similar query before and I'm afraid I don't quite get it right.

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/123055-think-tell-think-telling.html

Thanks in advance and peace be with you!
 

emsr2d2

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I think to order a pizza, please!

Hello, everyone. I got curious about using infinitives after the verb think. I am quite familiar with constructions like think about/of doing something but not with think to do something. In fact, I've perused my old grammar books and couldn't find such a structure. Is it kind of colloquial to use infinitives after think?
I've posted a similar query before and I'm afraid I don't quite get it right.

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/123055-think-tell-think-telling.html

Thanks in advance and peace be with you!

After "I think" there are various options:

I think I will have a pizza for dinner.
I think you are an idiot.
I think about you a lot.
I think there are some very strange people in the world.

Then you have:

I'm thinking about getting a tattoo.
I'm thinking of you (sympathy).

In none of the examples I have come up with, can you follow "I think" or "I'm thinking" with "to" or an infinitive.

Usually when we want to follow "think/thinking" with a verb, we use:

I'm thinking of getting my legs waxed.
I'm thinking about buying a new car.
I think I have flu.
I think I'll go to sleep now.

As you can see, none of these involve the infinitive or bare infinitive.
 

yuriya

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Thanks for the super-fast reply. What about this, then?

I think to buy a new car vs I'm thinking of buying a new car.

Can you explain the difference in meaning and use?
 

emsr2d2

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Thanks for the super-fast reply. What about this, then?

I think to buy a new car vs I'm thinking of buying a new car.

Can you explain the difference in meaning and use?

It's hard to explain the "difference in meaning and use" when, in my experience as a native speaker, we would never say "I think to buy a new car".

I'm thinking of a buying a new car.
I'm thinking about buying a new car.
I think I might buy a new car.

All of the above are used, but "I think to buy..." - to me, no!
 

yuriya

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I guess that's why I couldn't find any constructions in my grammar book, using infinitive after think. But then I wonder what you think of expressions below:

You never thought to tell me about this?
(This is the question of the link I provided above and here again https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/123055-think-tell-think-telling.html)

I think to order a pizza, please! (I caught this expression on TV from an American woman, who was ordering a pizza on the phone)
 

Halassafi

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Thank you

By the way

Is "pizza" countable or non-countable?
 

yuriya

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Thank you

By the way

Is "pizza" countable or non-countable?

It's kind of hard to explain but it can be both.
I love pizza. (generic)
I ordered a pizza. (specific)
 
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