How to Say “I Think That…” in Japanese | Using ～と思います (to omoimasu)

Yes! Example: あの人は先生せんせいだったと思おもいます。= I think that person was a teacher.

思います = you’re stating your opinion right now
Example: 私はそう思います。/ I think so (right now).

思っています = you’ve been thinking that for a while / it’s a continuing opinion or belief
Example: 私は（前から）そう思っています。/ I’ve thought that for a long time.

Unlike some other verbs of mental state, 思っています can naturally be used for a third person. It describes what the person has been thinking (an ongoing thought), often based on context or what they have expressed.
Example: たけしさんは仕事しごとをやめようと思っています。/ Takeshi has been thinking about quitting his job.

Absolutely! Just say と思う instead of と思います:

• 明日あした、雪ゆきが降ふると思おもう。= I think it will snow tomorrow.
• あの人ひとは弁護士べんごしだと思おもう。= I think that person is a lawyer.

Think of the particle と (to) in this pattern as acting like quotation marks (“…”) or the English word “that” when you say “I think that…”. You are essentially quoting the thought or statement itself. In Japanese grammar, quoted speech or thoughts are typically expressed using their plain/short form, even if the main sentence verb (like 思います) is polite. So the structure is [Your Thought in Plain Form] + と + 思います.

There are two common ways:

1. Negate 思います itself: Use 「～とは思いません」 (～to wa omoimasen) or casually 「～とは思わない」 (～to wa omowanai). This means “I don’t think that [something] is the case.” It can sometimes sound a bit more direct or stronger. Ex: 「彼が学生だとは思いません。」 (Kare ga gakusei da to wa omoimasen. – I don’t think that he is a student.)
2. Negate the clause before と思います: You state “I think that [something] is not the case.” Ex: 「彼は学生じゃないと思います。」 (Kare wa gakusei janai to omoimasu. – I think he is not a student.)

In English, “I don’t think…” is usually the more natural choice. In Japanese, however, both patterns are natural: 〜とは思いません / 〜じゃないと思います.

There is no strong preference in everyday Japanese, so you can use either one depending on nuance and context.

• ～と思います (to omoimasu): Your personal opinion/belief (“I think…”). Subjective.
• ～でしょう (deshou) / だろう (darou – plain): Probability (“probably…”). Based more on evidence or expectation. Sounds slightly more objective than と思います.
• ～かもしれません (kamoshiremasen) / かもしれない (kamoshirenai – plain): Possibility (“might…”, “maybe…”). Expresses less certainty than the others.

Choose based on whether it’s your personal feeling, a likely probability, or just a possibility.

Directly saying 「[Name]さんは～と思います」 can sound unnatural, like you’re stating their current thought process directly. To talk about someone else’s opinion or thought, it’s more common to use:

• ～らしい (rashii) / ～そうだ (sou da): Expressing hearsay (“It seems like/I heard that [Name] thinks…”). Use 思います primarily for your own current thoughts.
• ～と思っています (to omotte imasu): “[Name] thinks…” (Expresses their state of thinking). Ex: 「彼は大丈夫だと思っています。」 (Kare wa daijoubu da to omotte imasu. – He thinks it’s okay.)
• ～と言っていました (to itte imashita): “[Name] said that…” (Reports what they actually said). Ex: 「彼は大丈夫だと言っていました。」 (Kare wa daijoubu da to itte imashita. – He said it’s okay.)