Konnichiwa mina-san!

This is the first time I ask a question in this forum, but I have been reading it for some time and I see that many helpful people are here. And now to our topic...

There was this sentence in a language teaching material's quiz section.
あなたは車を買いたいと思いますか。
It might mean "Do you consider buying a car?"

It has several points which are causing me headache:

1. I know that usually 「と思っています」 is used when we state what others think. Does it change to 「と思います」 for questions? I'm almost sure it does, but I would like to hear "professional" opinions.


2. This is the first time I see a sentence ending with 「-たいと思いますか。」. I know about the simple statement that can only be used by the speaker regarding himself (without the か), but what does it mean in a question?


3. 「あなたは...と思いますか。」 means that 「あなた」 thinks something. For example 「あなたは私が...と思いますか。」 might mean "Do you think that I...?" (I hope it's correct.). Can one leave out the 「私が」 part and yet keep the second meaning? I guess not.


4. And lastly, is there a way to say the previous 「あなたは私が...と思いますか。」 in some shorter sentence, preferably leaving out what is understood?

I know that these are too many questions and it's not so simple to answer them. Please answer any one you can! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Zone san, hajimemashite.

> あなたは車を買いたいと思いますか。
> It might mean "Do you consider buying a car?"
Yes.

> I know that usually 「と思っています」 is used when we state what others think.
> Does it change to 「と思います」 for questions? I'm almost sure it does, but I
> would like to hear "professional" opinions.

There is a difference between "思います" and "思っています". Normally you use "思います". Since te-form is used for present tence or the current state or action, "思っています" tends to give an impression that your think may change soon or so, for example by someone's opinion. However, I think you can use both expressions without so big difference. But in an interogative sentence, you'd better use "思いますか？" because "思っていますか？" might give more stressful impression to the listener by the question as if you make him/her confirm the statement strongly.

> This is the first time I see a sentence ending with 「-たいと思いますか。」. I
> know
> about the simple statement that can only be used by the speaker regarding himself
> (without the か), but what does it mean in a question?

I can't explaine about the meaning of "か" unfortunately, but this word is often omitted. Especially in casual and coloqial conversation, we simply ask "...と思う？". If you put "か" after the sentence, it might be a little rude or rugher depending on the person whom you're speaking. So, you'd better remember that "か" is used in a polite expression like masu-form, I think.

> 「あなたは~と思いますか。」 means that 「あなた」 thinks something. For example
> 「あなたは私が~と思いますか。」 might mean "Do you think that I~?" (I hope it's
> correct.). Can one leave out the 「私が」 part and yet keep the second meaning? I
> guess not.
Yes, you're right.

> And lastly, is there a way to say the previous 「あなたは私が~と思いますか。」 in
> some shorter sentence, preferably leaving out what is understood?

If you're speaking with someone while looking at the person's face, you can omitt "あなたは" or the person's name. In Japanese language, the first and second personal pronouns are often omitted. If there are just only you and the listener in the room, you can omitt the second personal pronoun or the listener's name even though you avoid to look at the listener's face, lol.

I hope that helps.
Shizu

Shizu,

Thanks-- that's very helpful.

However, one question you didn't answer was about the use of 買いたい to mean what the other person may want. (This is what Zoli (zone-san) was getting at in (2).) We are told in our textbooks that we should only use words like 買いたい to express our own preferences or desires, and that when talking about someone else's preference, we should use 買いたがる, or some other phrasing. So Zoli was asking why it is OK in this question to use 買いたい to ask about the other person's wishes.

--Tony

Hi Tony and zone san,

I'm sorry, but I didn't understand the meaning of the question exactly.

But this is a difficult question. Anyway, I'll try.

(1) 私は車を買いたいです。
I want to buy a car.

(2) 私は車を買いたいと思います。
I think I want to buy a car.

The second example is more direct translation, but I suspect this is not proper one. It should be:
私は車を買いたいと思います。
I think I will buy a car.

But we often say "...たいと思います" as the meaning like "I'll buy (something) soon", and the intention is more positive at times.
For example, when you see your friend is going to go to the cash counter at a supermarket, you address her:

A: こんにちは。何してるの？
(Hi, what are you doing?)
B: あら、どうも。このスカートを買いたいと思うんだ。
(Hi. I'll buy this skirt.)

Since your friend is holding a skirt in her arms heading for the cash counter, it obvious that she intends to buy the skirt unless you stop it strongly.
Thus, this expression can change to:
このスカートを買うつもりです。

Namely, you can replace "...たいと思います" and "...つもりです". So, you don't need to think about the usage of "たい/たがる" by the different person when thinking of the phrase "たいと思います".

I'm wondering if this attempt can convince you???

Shizu

Shizu-san,

I'm sorry that I was not able to make the question clear. Let me try again.

The sentence "あなたは車を買いたいと思いますか" appeared in a test question which Zoli saw. In this sentence, 買いたい refers to あなた-- "you want to buy" or "you are thinking of buying." This appears to violate a rule we have been taught. Our textbooks tell us to use 買いたい and similar forms only when talking about our own preferences or desires. According to this rule, the following sentences would be rude:

あなたは車を買いたいですか。
あなたは車を買いたいですね。

Is the rule wrong? What we are told is that it is presumptuous to use 買いたい in talking about someone else's preference. Why is it OK in the sentence which appeared on the test?

I hope this is more 分かりやすい. If not, I will try to ask the question in 日本語 (which may be better or worse, given my lack of skill ).

--Tony

Hi Shizu san,

Thank you for your detailed answer!

As Tony says the role of か is clear. Only the verb forms before that contradict what we were taught.

Apart from that everything is clear now.