Think (Verbs at the End of a Sentence that Express One’s Thoughts)

Sentence Endings | ~と思う/思います(思いや考えを表現する文末の動詞)

Think (Verbs at the End of a Sentence that Express One’s Thoughts)

When conveying thoughts, you express yourself as follows: “I think this is better.” “(watashi ha) kore ga ii to omou yo.” “I think Suzuki san will go alone.” “(watashi ha) suzuki sann ha hitori de iku to omoimasu.” “Omou” (think) can mean the following: Drawing one’s own conclusions: What I’m saying is something I decided on myself. My own idea: Stating one’s own opinion. Uncertainty: Concerning what I’m saying, I haven’t confirmed the facts. When you are drawing your own conclusions or expressing your own ideas, the subject (watashi / I) is often omitted, as the listener understands you are referring to the subject (I) at the end of the sentence. When you are stating another person’s thoughts or ideas, you do not use direct statements. It is a peculiarity of Japanese that you do not state other people’s opinions as fact. In these cases you show that you are stating the thoughts or ideas of the person you are speaking to by adding an confirming suffix such as “ne,” as in: “You think this is good, don’t you?” “(anata ha) kore ga ii to omou no ne.” “You are thinking of going alone, aren’t you?” “(anata ha) hitori de ikou to omotte imasu ne.” If there is a third party referred to, you can make guesses about them in the following ways: “Nakamura sann seems to think this is good.” “nakamura sann ha kore ga ii to omou sou desu.” “Nakamura sann seems to think she will go alone.” “nakamura sann ha hitoride ikouto omotte iru you desu.” It is wrong to use “think” (omitting the “I”) when discussing your own emotions or feelings as it gives the impression that you are talking about somebody else’s. An odd expression. × “I think I like sweets.” “(watashi ha) amai mono ga suki da to omou no.” × “I think I’m tired.” “(watashi ha) tsukareta to omoi masu.”

おもいやかんがえを
omoi ya kanngae wo
thoughts
つたえる
tsutaeru
conveying
とき
toki
when
つぎのように
tsugi no youni
as follows
います。
iimasu.
(you) express (yourself)
「(わたしは)これがいいとおもうよ」。
“(watashi ha) kore ga ii to omou yo.”
“I think this is better.”
「(わたしは)鈴木すずきさんは一人ひとりくとおもいます」。
“(watashi ha) suzuki sann ha hitori de iku to omoimasu.”
“I think Suzuki san will go alone.”
おも」うには
omou niha
omou (think)
つぎ
tsugi no
(the) following
意味合いみあいがあります。
imiai ga arimasu.
can mean
自分じぶん判断はんだん
jibunn no hanndann
rawing one’s own conclusions
べるのは
noberu noha
what I’m saying
自分じぶん
jibunn ga
on myself
めた
kimeta
(I) decided
ことである。
koto dearu.
is something
自分じぶんかんがえ:
jibunn no kanngae
my own idea
べる内容ないよう
noberu naiyou ha
stating [contents]
自分じぶん
jibunn no
one’s own
意見いけんである。
ikenn dearu.
opinion
不確実ふかくじつであること:
fukakujitsu de arukoto
uncertainty
べる内容ないよう
noberu naiyou ha
(concerning) what I’m saying
事実じじつ確認かくにん
jijitsu kakuninn wo
(the) facts confirmed
していない。
shiteinai.
I haven’t
自分じぶん
jibunn no
your own
判断はんだんかんがえを
hanndann ya kanngae wo
conclusions or expressing (your own) ideas
iu
you are drawing
ときは、
toki ha,
when
主語しゅごわたしは)を
shugo watashi ha wo
(the) subject (watashi / I)
わないことが
iwanai koto ga
omitted
おおい
ooi
often
です。
desu.
is
文末ぶんまつ
bunnmatsu
(the) end of (the) sentence
de
at
主語しゅご
shugo ga
(the) subject
わたし
watashi
I
一人称いちにんしょう)だと
ichininnshou dato
you are referring to
相手あいてはわかります。
aite ha wakarimasu.
(as the) listener understands
他人たにんおもいやかんがえを
taninn no omoi ya kannga wo
another person’s thoughts or ideas
iu
(you are) stating
ときは、
toki ha,
when
直接的ちょくせつてき
chokusetsu teki na
direct
表現ひょうげん
hyougenn wo
statements
使つかいません。
tsukaimasenn.
(you) do not use
他人たにんについては
taninn ni tsuite ha
other people’s opinions
断定的だんていてき
dannteiteki na
as fact
表現ひょうげんをしない
hyougenn wo shinai
(you) do not state
のが
noga
that
日本語にほんご
nihonngo
Japanese
no
of
特徴とくちょう
tokuchou
(a) peculiarity
です。
desu.
(it) is
はなしている
hanashiteiru
(you) are speaking to
相手あいて二人称ににんしょう
aite nininnshou
(the) person
no
of
おもいやかんがえを
omoi ya kanngae wo
(the) thoughts or ideas
表現ひょうげんする
hyougenn suru
(you show that you) are stating
場合ばあいは、
baai ha,
(in these) cases
「ね」
ne
ne
のような
no youna
such as (in)
確認かくにん」の文末ぶんまつ
kakuninn no bunnmatsu wo
(an) confirming suffix
くわえます。
kuwae masu.
by adding
「(あなたは)これがいいとおもうのね」。
“(anata ha) kore ga ii to omou no ne.”
“You think this is good, don’t you?”
「(あなたは)一人ひとりこうとおもっていますね」。
“(anata ha) hitori de ikou to omotte imasu ne.”
“You are thinking of going alone, aren’t you?”
だいさんしゃ三人称さんにんしょう
daisannsha sannninnshou
(a) third party
について
ni tsuite iu
referred to
場合ばあいは、
baai ha,
if (there is)
つぎのように
tsugi no youni
in (the) following ways
推量すいりょう」の表現ひょうげんをします。
suiryou no hyougenn wo shimasu.
(you) can make guess (about them)
中村なかむらさんは、これがいいとおもうそうです」。
“nakamura sann ha kore ga ii to omou sou desu.”
“Nakamura sann seems to think this is good.”
中村なかむらさんは、一人ひとりこうとおもっているようです」。
“nakamura sann ha hitoride ikouto omotte iru you desu.”
“Nakamura sann seems to think she will go alone.”
「~とおもう/おもいます」を
to omou omoimasu wo
think (omitting the “I”)
自分じぶん自身じしん
jibunn jishinn no
(your) own
感情かんじょう感覚かんかく
kannjyou ya kannkaku
emotions or feelings
について
ni tsuite
when discussing
使つかうのは
tsukau noha
to use
間違まちが
machigai
(it) is wrong
で、
de,
(that)
他人事たにんごと
taninngoto
(you are) talking about somebody else’s
のようです。
no youdesu.
as (it) gives the impression
おかしな表現ひょうげん
okashina hyougenn.
(an) odd expression
×「(わたしは)あまいものがきだとおもうの」。
“(watashi ha) amai mono ga suki da to omou no.”
× “I think I like sweets.”
×「(わたしは)つかれたとおもいます」。
“(watashi ha) tsukareta to omoi masu.”
× “I think I’m tired.”

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