Opinion and Thoughts

This article explains two expressions for opinion and thoughts - omou and kangaeru.

To express an opinion, use the phrase to omoimasu at the end of a sentence and put all verbs in the plain form. To express what someone else is thinking, use omotte imasu. The verb kangaeru also means "to think" but implies "to consider" whereas omou implies opinion or feeling.

Examples on omou

A: だれ　が　来ました　が。
B: 田中さん　だ　と　思います。
A: Dare ga kimashita ka?
B: Tanakasan da to omoimasu.
A: Who came?
B: I think it was Tanakasan.

A negative sentence, of something you believe not to be true, can be made in two ways.

たかはしさんは来ないと思います。
takahashi san wa konai to omoimasu.
I think Miss. Takahashi will not come.

たかはしさんが来るとは思いません。
Takahashisan ga kuru to wa omoimasen.
I don't think Miss. Takahashi is coming.

マイクさんは日本はいい国だと思っています。
Maiku san wa, Nihon wa ii kuni da to omotte imasu.
Mike thinks that Japan is a great country.

Examples on kangaeru

チームのことを考えていました。
Chiimu no koto o kangaete imashita.
I was thinking about the team.