Japanese verb · u-verb · first needed at elementary level (A2)

思う

omou

to think

What you think is quoted with (to): (ii to omoimasu), I think it's good. (omotte imasu) is for thoughts held for a while, or for other people's thoughts.

Speed:

Present

現在形

Now, habits and the future. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ます is the default.

plain	思うomou
polite	思いますomoimasu
plain negative	思わないomowanai
polite negative	思いませんomoimasen

Past

過去形

What happened, or what has happened. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ました is the default.

plain	思ったomotta
polite	思いましたomoimashita
plain negative	思わなかったomowanakatta
polite negative	思いませんでしたomoimasen deshita

Te-form

て形

(omotte imasu): “have been thinking, intend”. (omotte kudasai) is “please think of it as …”: (jibun no ie da to omotte kudasai).

te-form	思ってomotte
-te imasu (doing now)	思っていますomotte imasu
-te kudasai (please do)	思ってくださいomotte kudasai

Potential

可能形

Seems, can think: (sō wa omoemasen), I can't see it that way.

plain	思えるomoeru
polite	思えますomoemasu
plain negative	思えないomoenai
polite negative	思えませんomoemasen

Passive

受身形

How others see you: (hen da to omowareru), to be thought strange. Also formal “it is thought that …”.

plain	思われるomowareru
polite	思われますomowaremasu
plain negative	思われないomowarenai
polite negative	思われませんomowaremasen

Causative

使役形

Making someone think or feel something: (honmono da to omowaseru), to make people think it's real.

plain	思わせるomowaseru
polite	思わせますomowasemasu
plain negative	思わせないomowasenai
polite negative	思わせませんomowasemasen

Conditional

条件形

(omoeba), (omottara): “if you think, once you think …”; (omowanakereba): “if you don't think …”.

-ba	思えばomoeba
-tara	思ったらomottara
-nakereba (if not)	思わなければomowanakereba

Examples

明日は雨だと思います。Ashita wa ame da to omoimasu.I think it'll rain tomorrow.
日本に住みたいと思っています。Nihon ni sumitai to omotte imasu.I'm thinking I'd like to live in Japan.
自分の家だと思ってください。Jibun no ie da to omotte kudasai.Make yourself at home.