と思う

と思う means I think that. It is a JLPT N4 Japanese grammar pattern used to state a personal opinion or belief.

You will see it constantly in conversation, textbooks, and the JLPT N4 test. Learning it early makes your Japanese sound more natural when you want to share what you believe or expect.

What does と思う mean?

Use と思う when you want to express I think that in a Japanese sentence.

Natural translations include:

• I think that
• I believe that
• It seems to me that

The best translation depends on the sentence. Try to notice the speaker’s purpose first, then choose the English phrase that fits that context.

How to form と思う

と思う attaches to the plain form of whatever you are thinking.

In polite speech, 思う becomes 思います.

Common shapes from the example sentences:

• 雨あめだと思います
• 面白おもしろいと思います
• 来こないと思います

When is と思う used?

Use と思う in situations like:

• reading or writing JLPT N4-level sentences
• making a sentence more precise than a basic N5 pattern
• recognizing natural grammar in conversation or short passages

Tone and register:

• neutral; usable in both casual and polite conversation
• extremely common in JLPT N4 grammar study and everyday Japanese

と思う example sentences

After reading each sentence, ask what job と思う is doing: it wraps the speaker’s inner thought and presents it as a personal belief.

Nuance of と思う

The key nuance is that と思う quotes your own thought. It turns a statement into a personal belief rather than an objective fact.

This matters because learners often translate advanced grammar too literally. A pattern may look simple, but it signals that the speaker is offering an opinion, not declaring a certainty.

For example, saying 雨あめだ implies certainty. Saying 雨あめだと思おもう softens it into a personal expectation. The difference is social, not just grammatical: you are marking the boundary between fact and belief.

と思う vs でしょう

Both と思う and でしょう can express uncertainty, but they do different jobs.

If both translations seem possible, check the tone. Is the speaker stating a private opinion, or making a guess based on evidence? と思う keeps the focus on the speaker’s mind; でしょう keeps the focus on the situation.

Common mistakes with と思う

Is と思う on the JLPT?

For test preparation, study the grammar point in full sentences. JLPT questions often test whether you understand the surrounding context, not just the dictionary meaning.

Practice questions for と思う

Keep your first sentences simple. Once the structure feels natural, add more context so the nuance becomes clear.

Learning path for と思う

Use と思う as part of your JLPT N4 quotation, thought, and definition grammar toolkit. Practice the quoted or defined content before と思う. These patterns depend on where the thought, question, name, or explanation begins and ends, so sentence boundaries matter more than a single English gloss.

Related grammar to review next

• という — builds control over quoted thoughts, questions, names, and explanations.
• ということ — builds control over quoted thoughts, questions, names, and explanations.
• かどうか — builds control over quoted thoughts, questions, names, and explanations.
• かな — builds control over quoted thoughts, questions, names, and explanations.

Learn と思う with Hane

If you want to review と思う together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

• All grammar lessons
• JLPT N4 grammar lessons