～と思います – How to Say “I Think…” in Japanese

Ever want to share your opinion in Japanese, like “I think it's cute” or “I don't think he’ll come”?

That’s where ～と思います (to omoimasu) comes in. It’s one of the most natural and useful phrases in daily conversation, whether you're making a guess, expressing a feeling, or just softening your opinion.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• What ～と思います means and how to use it
• Real-life examples from everyday conversation
• How to use it in negative form
• A few casual/slang variations (for fun)

Let’s go!

What Does ～と思います Mean?

「～と思います」(～とおもいます) literally means “I think that...” or “I believe that...”

The 「と」 is the quotation particle, and 「思います」 is the polite form of the verb 「思う」(to think).

It’s a great way to share your opinion without sounding too direct or pushy (which Japanese people generally dislike). You’ll hear it a lot in conversation, especially when expressing guesses or feelings.

Basic Sentence Pattern

[Sentence / word] + と思います

• おいしいと思います。
  I think it’s delicious.
• あしたは雨だと思います。
  I think it will rain tomorrow.
• 彼は学生だと思います。
  I think he’s a student.

Use だ before と when quoting a noun or な-adjective.

Examples in Real Life

Here are some natural, everyday uses:

• あの人はかっこいいと思います。
  I think that person is cool. 😊
• あの映画はあまりおもしろくなかったと思います。
  I don't think that movie was very interesting.
• 彼女は来ないと思います。
  I don’t think she’ll come.
• それはちょっと高いと思います。
  I think that’s a little expensive.

You can use this with both positive and negative forms, including verbs, adjectives, and nouns.

When to Use だ Before と

Use だ before 「と思います」 when quoting:

• Nouns
• な-adjectives

Examples:

• 彼は有名人だと思います。
  I think he’s a celebrity.
• この町はしずかだと思います。
  I think this town is quiet.

You don’t need だ after verbs or い-adjectives:

• 日本語はむずかしいと思います。
• 彼は来ると思います。

Saying "I Don't Think..."

To say “I don’t think…”, negate 思います instead of the phrase before it.

• 行かないと思います。 → I think (someone) won’t go
• 行くと思いません。 → I don’t think (someone) will go

Both are used, but:

✅ 行かないと思います sounds more natural/conversational
🚫 行くと思いません is grammatically fine but less common

Try It Yourself!

1. “I think Japanese is interesting.”
→ 日本語はおもしろいと思います。

2. “I don’t think he’s coming.”
→ 彼は来ないと思います。
💡 Use the negative plain form 来ない (konai) inside the quote.

3. “I think this ramen is the best.”
→ このラーメンが一番だと思います。
💡 When quoting a noun + だ, include the だ before と.

4. “I think that person is a teacher.”
→ あの人は先生だと思います。

Quick Recap

• ～と思います = “I think that…”
• Use と to quote your thought
• Add だ before と when quoting a noun or な-adjective
• To make it negative, say 行かないと思います (not 行くと思いません)

What do you think? どう思う？意外と簡単だと思います 🤭