Japanese Grammar: と思う (to omou)

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Japanese Grammar: と思う (to omou)
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

‘I think that…’ or ‘I believe that…’

🎯 Primary Function

To express thoughts, opinions, or conjectures.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (Plain Form) + と思う
Adjective (い-form) + と思う
Adjective (stem) + だ + と思う
Verb (ない-form) + と思う / ~とは思いません

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used with ‘to omoimasu’ to express professional opinions or polite suggestions.

😊 Informal Situations

Used with ‘to omou’ or ‘to omou n da’ among friends and family.

✍️ Written Language

Used in essays and reports to distinguish facts from personal interpretations.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Commonly used to avoid sounding too assertive or dogmatic.

💡 Common Applications

Stating Personal Opinions
Used to share your thoughts on quality, taste, or situations.
Example: 美味しいと思います (I think it’s delicious).
Making Conjectures
Used when you are not 100% sure but have a logical guess.
Example: 来ると思います (I think they will come).
Softening Statements
Adding ‘to omou’ makes a statement less blunt and more polite in social interactions.
Example: 難しいと思います (I think it’s difficult).
📊
Frequency
Extremely High
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N4 (Lower Intermediate)
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N4 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N4 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
明日は雨が降ると思います。
Furigana: あしたはあめがふるとおもいます。
Romaji: Ashita wa ame ga furu to omoimasu.
English: I think it will rain tomorrow.
Example #2
この映画はとても面白いと思います。
Furigana: このえいがはとてもおもしろいとおもいます。
Romaji: Kono eiga wa totemo omoshiroi to omoimasu.
English: I think this movie is very interesting.
Example #3
彼はパーティーに来ないと思います。
Furigana: かれはパーティーにこないとおもいます。
Romaji: Kare wa paatii ni konai to omoimasu.
English: I don’t think he will come to the party.
Example #4
田中さんはとても親切な人だと思います。
Furigana: たなかさんはとてもしんせつなひとだとおもいます。
Romaji: Tanaka-san wa totemo shinsetsu na hito da to omoimasu.
English: I think Mr. Tanaka is a very kind person.
Example #5
試験は少し難しかったと思います。
Furigana: しけんはすこしむずかしかったとおもいます。
Romaji: Shiken wa sukoshi muzukashikatta to omoimasu.
English: I think the exam was a bit difficult.
Example #6
早く行くほうがいいと思います。
Furigana: はやくいくほうがいいとおもいます。
Romaji: Hayaku iku hou ga ii to omoimasu.
English: I think it is better to go early.
Example #7
日本料理は体にいいと思います。
Furigana: にほんりょうりはからだにいいとおもいます。
Romaji: Nihon ryouri wa karada ni ii to omoimasu.
English: I think that Japanese food is healthy.
Example #8
彼女はもううちに帰ったと思います。
Furigana: かのじょはもううちにかえったとおもいます。
Romaji: Kanojo wa mou uchi ni kaetta to omoimasu.
English: I think she has already returned home.
Example #9
この答えは正しくないと思います。
Furigana: このこたえはただしくないとおもいます。
Romaji: Kono kotae wa tadashikunai to omoimasu.
English: I don’t think this answer is correct.
Example #10
漢字を覚えるのは大変ですが、楽しいと思います。
Furigana: かんじをおぼえるのはたいへんですが、たのしいとおもいます。
Romaji: Kanji o oboeru no wa taihen desu ga, tanoshii to omoimasu.
English: I think learning Kanji is difficult but fun.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Third-person thoughts
Use ‘to omotte iru’ instead of ‘to omou’ when talking about the thoughts of a third person.
Example: 彼はそう思っています (Kare wa sou omotte imasu).
Intentional usage
When combined with the volitional form, it expresses an intention (‘I am thinking of doing…’).
Example: 行こうと思います (Ikou to omoimasu).

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ きれいと思います (Kirei to omoimasu).
✅ きれいだと思います (Kirei da to omoimasu).
Na-adjectives and Nouns require ‘da’ before ‘to omou’.
❌ 行きますと思います (Ikimasu to omoimasu).
✅ 行くと思います (Iku to omoimasu).
You must use the plain form before ‘to omou’, not the polite ‘masu’ form.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Adding ‘to omou’ is a key way to follow Japanese etiquette by not stating opinions as absolute facts.
Social Situations: Critical for maintaining ‘wa’ (harmony) by softening potential disagreements.
Regional Variations: In Kansai dialect, people might use ‘to omou wa’ or ‘to omou de’ for emphasis.

🔍 Subtle Differences

~と思う vs ~と思っている
‘~と思う’ describes a thought at the moment, while ‘~と思っている’ describes a continuous state or belief.
When to use: Use ‘~と思っている’ for long-term opinions or third-person subjects.

📝 Conjugation Notes

Always use the dictionary form (Plain Form) before the particle ‘to’. This includes past tense (ta-form) and negative (nai-form).

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

The ‘to’ is a particle, so there is usually a slight, natural pause or a shift in pitch before starting ‘omou’.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of the particle ‘to’ as a set of quotation marks for your brain. You are quoting your own mind.

Other Grammar

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