As someone who has grown up in India, all through…I have rarely come across people who use that phrase.
I have heard people saying ‘I think’ or ‘I feel’, instead.
It was a US-returned former colleague who I noticed using ‘I believe’ quite frequently. I liked the sound of it, in a way that was vastly different from a ‘feel’ or a ‘think’.
When ‘I feel’, I may be referring to a tentative opinion, I suppose. And when ‘I think’, it seems like an even more tentative work-in-progress!
But when I say ‘I believe’, it sounds like I myself am a lot more convinced about what I’m saying. And I have seen it creating similar impression with the people I talk to. The kind of reaction I get when I use ‘I believe’ – which I use selectively, where it is appropriate – is quite different.
I was discussing social media with someone recently and used ‘I believe’ for a few things that I was referring to – they were not facts, but opinions. My opinions. But the ‘I believe’ usage perhaps made it a lot more convincing to the other person and he was sold!
So, do consider using ‘I believe’ in place of ‘I think’ or ‘I feel’, but be careful about what you are putting your beliefs into!
PS: I’m not used to writing such seemingly high-funda posts, so chose to lighten the mood with that pic, courtesy blameitonthevoices.