Lesson 45
Base 3 + to omoimasu
For better or worse, Japan is a country where being reserved is a good thing. It's okay to have an opinion, but speaking as if you're dead sure about something is looked down on, especially in the workplace. When promoting your own ideas or opinions, using to omoimasu after plain verbs is one of the most socially acceptable, and expected, things you can do. It means simply "I think," and shows that you admit that what you are talking about isn't a fact (even though it might be).
Now that it has been explained, I think it can be applied very easily:
- Bob wa goji ni kaeru to omoimasu. (I think Bob will come back at five o'clock.)
- Eiko wa eigo o hanasu koto ga dekiru to omoimasu. (I think Eiko can speak English.)
- Koji wa okureru to omoimasu. (I think Koji will be late.)
- Sasaki-san wa mou sugu kochira ni denwa suru to omou. (I think Ms. Sasaki will call us soon.)
- Ashita wa ame ga furu to omou. (I think it'll rain tomorrow.)
As you can see from the last examples, omou can be used for plain speech, omoimasu being simply its Base 2 form with polite masu added. Accordingly, the other Base 2 endings also apply:
- Eiko wa eigo o hanasu koto ga dekiru to wa omoimasen. (I don't think Eiko can speak English.)
- Koji wa okureru to wa omoimasen deshita. (I didn't think that Koji would be late.)
- Kyou ame ga furu to omoimashita. (I thought it would rain today [and it did.])
In a way, this ending is a lot like deshou, which was covered in Lesson 18. The major difference is that deshou is usually used to show that you don't really know, don't really care, or don't really have any control over something, while to omoimasu shows that you do know (to a certain degree), care, or have some control. In the workplace you would always want to use to omoimasu concerning things you are responsible for because deshou would sound irresponsible.
To omoimasu can be used after some conjugated verbs, like:
- Kyou wa, densha de iku hou ga ii to omou. (I think it would be better to go by train today.)
- Kodomotachi wa umi ni ikitai to omou. (I think the kids want to go to the beach.)
Again, in Japan being reserved is a respected characteristic. People will use to omoimasu even when they know.
Word Check
omou: to think
goji: five o'clock (go [five] + ji [hour])
kaeru: to return (intransitive verb); to go back; to return home
eigo: the English language
hanasu: to speak
okureru: to be late
mou sugu: soon
kochira: here; towards me, us
(Verbs are shown in their plain form.)
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