〜と思います
I think that ~
Plain form + とおもいます means 'I think (that) ~'. Use it to give your opinion or make a guess in a softer way than stating it as fact.
How to make it
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Verb plain form + とおもいます | 行く → 行くとおもいます |
| い-adjective + とおもいます | 高い → 高いとおもいます |
| な-adjective + だ + とおもいます | しずか → しずかだとおもいます |
| Noun + だ + とおもいます | 雨 → 雨だとおもいます |
Meaning and examples
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1. Giving your opinion
Say what you think about something, such as a book, a place or food.
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この本はおもしろいとおもいます。
このほんはおもしろいとおもいます。
kono hon wa omoshiroi to omoimasu.
I think this book is interesting.
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あの店のパンはおいしいとおもいます。
あのみせのパンはおいしいとおもいます。
ano mise no pan wa oishii to omoimasu.
I think the bread at that shop is good.
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2. Making a guess
Say what you think will happen or what is probably true, when you are not completely sure.
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あしたは雨だとおもいます。
あしたはあめだとおもいます。
ashita wa ame da to omoimasu.
I think it will rain tomorrow.
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山下さんはもうかえったとおもいます。
やましたさんはもうかえったとおもいます。
yamashita san wa mou kaetta to omoimasu.
I think Mr Yamashita has already gone home.
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3. Saying what you don't think
To say 'I don't think ~', Japanese usually makes the part before と negative and keeps おもいます positive.
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日本語はあまりむずかしくないとおもいます。
にほんごはあまりむずかしくないとおもいます。
nihongo wa amari muzukashiku nai to omoimasu.
I don't think Japanese is very difficult.
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先生は今日来ないとおもいます。
せんせいはきょうこないとおもいます。
sensei wa kyou konai to omoimasu.
I don't think the teacher is coming today.
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Nuance
とおもいます makes a statement softer and more modest, so Japanese speakers use it a lot, even for things they are fairly sure about. Nouns and な-adjectives need だ before と. With friends, say とおもう instead. In this pattern, とおもいます is for your own thoughts; for other people's thoughts you need a different form (とおもっています), which comes later.
Compared with
Common mistakes
Wrongあしたは雨とおもいます。
Rightあしたは雨だとおもいます。
Nouns and な-adjectives need だ before とおもいます.
Wrongこの本はおもしろいですとおもいます。
Rightこの本はおもしろいとおもいます。
Use the plain form before と; the politeness goes on おもいます.
Wrongあの先生はやさしいだとおもいます。
Rightあの先生はやさしいとおもいます。
い-adjectives go straight before と, without だ.
Practice
JLPT style: choose the best answer for （ ）.
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1あしたは雨（ ）とおもいます。
A noun needs だ before とおもいます. の, な and を cannot come before と here.
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2この本はおもしろい（ ）おもいます。
と marks what you think, so it must come before おもいます. に, を and で don't quote a thought.
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3山下さんはもう（ ）とおもいます。
もう means 'already' and the part before と must be plain, so you need the plain past かえった. かえります and かえりました are polite forms, and かえって cannot come before と.
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4あの先生はやさしい（ ）。
やさしい is an い-adjective, so it joins とおもいます directly. だ is only for nouns and な-adjectives, and に or を cannot quote a thought.
FAQ
How do I say 'I think so' in Japanese?
Say そうおもいます. For 'I don't think so', say そうはおもいません, which is a polite way to disagree.
Is とおもいます polite?
Yes, とおもいます is polite and fine with teachers and at work. With friends you can use the plain form とおもう.
What is the difference between とおもいます and でしょう?
Both can be used for guesses. とおもいます shows that it's your own opinion, while でしょう sounds more like a general prediction, as in a weather report.
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