Japanese reference
思う
おもう
to think
Regular · 32 form tables
Rows describe verb forms and levels of politeness. Honorific and humble forms are labeled separately. Strong commands appear under additional forms.
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Basic
Non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Dictionary form | おもう (omou)think |
| Polite, masu | おもいます (omoimasu)think |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | おもわない (omowanai)do not think |
| Polite negative | おもいません (omoimasen)do not think |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | おもった (omotta)thought |
| Polite past | おもいました (omoimashita)thought |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | おもわなかった (omowanakatta)did not think |
| Polite past negative | おもいませんでした (omoimasendeshita)did not think |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | おもって (omotte)thinking (and then) |
| Polite te-form | おもいまして (omoimashite)thinking (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | おもっている (omotteiru)be thinking |
| Polite te-iru | おもっています (omotteimasu)be thinking |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | おもえば (omoeba)if you think |
| Rare literary polite conditional | おもいますれば (omoimasureba)if you think (rare and literary). In ordinary polite conversation, use the plain conditional and make the main clause polite |
Conditional, tara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, tara | おもったら (omottara)if you think |
| Polite conditional, tara | おもいましたら (omoimashitara)if you think |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | おもえる (omoeru)can think |
| Polite potential | おもえます (omoemasu)can think |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | おもおう (omoou)let's think! |
| Polite volitional | おもいましょう (omoimashou)let's think! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | おもいたい (omoitai)want to think |
| Polite desire, tai | おもいたいです (omoitaidesu)want to think |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | おもわれる (omowareru)be affected when someone thinks |
| Polite passive | おもわれます (omowaremasu)be affected when someone thinks |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | おもわせる (omowaseru)make or let someone think |
| Polite causative | おもわせます (omowasemasu)make or let someone think |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | おもわせられる (omowaserareru)be made to think |
| Polite causative-passive | おもわせられます (omowaseraremasu)be made to think |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | おもうな (omouna)do not think! |
| Polite negative request | おもわないでください (omowanaidekudasai)please do not think |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | おもいます (omoimasu)think |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | おもいません (omoimasen)do not think |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | おもいました (omoimashita)thought |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | おもいませんでした (omoimasendeshita)did not think |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | おもってください (omottekudasai)please think |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | おもわないでください (omowanaidekudasai)please do not think |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | おもいましょう (omoimashou)let's think! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | おもってもいい (omottemoii)may think |
| Polite permission | おもってもいいです (omottemoiidesu)may think |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | おもってはいけない (omottehaikenai)must not think |
| Polite prohibition | おもってはいけません (omottehaikemasen)must not think |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | おもいなさい (omoinasai)think (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | おもってみる (omottemiru)try to think |
| Polite try doing | おもってみます (omottemimasu)try to think |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | おもってしまう (omotteshimau)think completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | おもってしまいます (omotteshimaimasu)think completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | おもっておく (omotteoku)think in advance |
| Polite preparation | おもっておきます (omotteokimasu)think in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | おもったことがある (omottakotogaaru)have the experience of: thought |
| Polite past experience | おもったことがあります (omottakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: thought |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | おもうと (omouto)whenever you think |
| Polite automatic result | おもいますと (omoimasuto)whenever you think |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | おもうなら (omounara)if you mean to think |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | おもうだろう (omoudarou)probably think |
| Polite probability | おもうでしょう (omoudeshou)probably think |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | おもえ (omoe)think! |
| Polite request | おもってください (omottekudasai)please think |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.