Quoting & Giving Opinions: と言う, と思う, そうだ
“The teacher said there’s a quiz tomorrow.” “I think that restaurant is good.” “I heard the train was late.” In everyday talk we constantly do three things:
- Quote what someone said.
- Share our own opinion.
- Pass on information we heard elsewhere.
Japanese has dedicated patterns for all three. Master them and your sentences move from “technically correct” to natural and clear.
This page focuses on four keys:
- と言う for quotation.
- と思う for opinion.
～そうだ(hearsay) for “I heard that…”.～そうだ(appearance) for “it looks like…”.
Prerequisite: Be comfortable with plain form—these patterns use it constantly.
1. Quick function map
| Communication job | Main pattern | Short example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quote speech | ～と言う | 来ないと言った | Said they won’t come |
| State an opinion | ～と思う | 難しいと思う | I think it’s hard |
| Pass on news | ～そうだ (plain form + そうだ) | 雨だそうだ | I heard it’ll rain |
| Judge appearance | ～そうだ (stem + そうだ) | おいしそうだ | Looks delicious |
2. と言う: Quoting speech
2a. Direct quotes with 「」
Use Japanese quotation marks for word-for-word quotes.
Example 1
先生は「明日、小テストがあります」と言いました。
(Sensei wa "ashita, shou tesuto ga arimasu" to iimashita.)
The teacher said, “There’s a short quiz tomorrow.”
Example 2
彼は「今、行けない」と言った。
(Kare wa "ima, ikenai" to itta.)
He said, “I can’t go right now.”
2b. Indirect quotes
To report the content only, use plain form + と言う.
Example 3
田中さんは今日休むと言っていました。
(Tanaka-san wa kyou yasumu to itte imashita.)
Tanaka-san said they’re off today.
Example 4
母は野菜をもっと食べろと言う。
(Haha wa yasai o motto tabero to iu.)
Mom says I should eat more vegetables.
2c. Extra pattern: ～という + noun
Means “called…” / “known as…”.
Example 5
「敬語」という言葉を聞いたことがありますか。
("Keigo" to iu kotoba o kiita koto ga arimasu ka.)
Have you heard the word called “keigo”?
Example 6
秋葉原という町は電気製品で有名です。
(Akihabara to iu machi wa denki seihin de yuumei desu.)
The town called Akihabara is famous for electronics.
3. と思う: Stating opinions
3a. Your own opinion
Plain form + と思う / と思います.
Example 7
この映画は面白いと思います。
(Kono eiga wa omoshiroi to omoimasu.)
I think this movie is interesting.
Example 8
明日は寒くなると思う。
(Ashita wa samuku naru to omou.)
I think it’ll get cold tomorrow.
3b. と思う vs と思っている
| Pattern | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
と思う | opinion right now / spontaneous | いいと思う |
と思っている | longer-held / repeated opinion | ずっとそう思っている |
Example 9
日本で働きたいと思っています。
(Nihon de hatarakitai to omotte imasu.)
I’ve been thinking I want to work in Japan.
3c. Other people’s opinions
For a third person, と思っている (or similar) is usually more natural than bare と思う from your mouth.
Example 10
彼は来年留学すると思っている。
(Kare wa rainen ryuugaku suru to omotte iru.)
He thinks he’ll study abroad next year.
4. Two kinds of そうだ you must separate
4a. Hearsay そうだ (“I heard…”)
Formula: plain form + そうだ.
Example 11
明日は雪だそうです。
(Ashita wa yuki da sou desu.)
I heard it’ll snow tomorrow.
Example 12
あの店は安いそうだ。
(Ano mise wa yasui sou da.)
I heard that shop is cheap.
4b. Appearance そうだ (“it looks like…”)
Formula: stem + そうだ.
| Type | Formation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| i-adj | drop い + そう | おいしそう |
| na-adj | + そう | 元気そう |
| Verb stem | masu-stem + そう | 降りそう |
Example 13
このケーキはおいしそう。
(Kono keeki wa oishisou.)
This cake looks delicious.
Example 14
雨が降りそうですね。
(Ame ga furisou desu ne.)
It looks like it’ll rain.
4c. Super-quick contrast table
| Sentence | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| おいしいそうだ | Hearsay | I heard it’s tasty |
| おいしそうだ | Appearance | It looks tasty |
Tiny form change, huge meaning change.
5. Related patterns you’ll meet often
Besides と言う, と思う, and そうだ, you’ll also see:
らしい→ “I hear / seems” (compact, natural in many contexts).ようだ→ “it seems” based on evidence.
Example 15
彼は忙しいらしい。
(Kare wa isogashii rashii.)
I hear he’s busy.
Example 16
外が暗い。雨のようだ。
(Soto ga kurai. Ame no you da.)
It’s dark outside. It seems like rain.
You don’t need full mastery yet—just awareness, because they sit next to this lesson’s patterns.
6. Mini dialogues
Dialogue 1: In class
A: 先生は何と言っていましたか。
(Sensei wa nan to itte imashita ka.)
What did the teacher say?
B: 来週は小テストがあると言っていました。
(Raishuu wa shou tesuto ga aru to itte imashita.)
They said there’s a short quiz next week.
A: えっ、難しいと思う？
(E, muzukashii to omou?)
Oh—do you think it’ll be hard?
B: うん、前回より難しそう。
(Un, zenkai yori muzukashisou.)
Yeah, it looks harder than last time.
Dialogue 2: Casual chat
A: 新しいラーメン屋、知ってる？
(Atarashii raamen-ya, shitteru?)
Know that new ramen place?
B: うん。友達がおいしいって言ってた。
(Un. Tomodachi ga oishii tte itte ta.)
Yeah. A friend said it’s good.
A: 写真を見たけど、量も多そうだね。
(Shashin o mita kedo, ryou mo oosou da ne.)
I saw a photo—the portions look big too.
7. Common mistakes ⚠️
| ❌ Wrong | ✅ Right | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 明日は雨と思うです | 明日は雨だと思います | Nouns/na-adj need だ before と思う |
| おいしいそう (meant “looks tasty”) | おいしそう | Appearance そう uses the stem |
| おいしそう (meant “I heard it’s tasty”) | おいしいそうだ | Hearsay そうだ uses plain form |
| 彼は行くと思う (guessing their mind) | 彼は行くと思っている | Third-person opinions often take と思っている |
| 先生は「宿題」と言っていました (incomplete quote) | 先生は「宿題を出します」と言っていました | Direct quotes need a clear sentence |
| 雨そうです (meant hearsay) | 雨だそうです | Hearsay with nouns needs だ |
8. Mini JLPT practice (10 items)
Q1
Translate: “The teacher said class starts at 9 tomorrow.”
Answer: 先生は明日、授業は九時に始まると言いました。
Why: Content quotes use plain form + と言う.
Q2
Complete: この店は高い___。 (in my opinion)
Answer: と思います
Why: Personal opinion.
Q3
Pick the correct form for “I heard it’s tasty”:
A. おいしそうだ
B. おいしいそうだ
Answer: B
Why: Hearsay = plain form + そうだ.
Q4
Pick the correct form for “it looks tasty”:
A. おいしいそうだ
B. おいしそうだ
Answer: B
Why: Appearance = stem + そうだ.
Q5
Translate: “I don’t think he’ll come today.”
Answer: 今日、彼は来ないと思います。
Why: Negative plain form + と思う.
Q6
Make a direct quote: He said “I already ate.”
Answer: 彼は「もう食べた」と言った。
Why: Use 「」 marks.
Q7
Fix: 明日は雪そうだ (meant hearsay with a noun)
Answer: 明日は雪だそうだ。
Why: Noun + だ + そうだ.
Q8
Translate: “I heard the train was late.”
Answer: 電車が遅れたそうです。
Why: Hearsay with a past verb.
Q9
Translate: “It looks like it’ll be crowded.”
Answer: 混みそうです。
Why: Verb stem + そう.
Q10
Fill in: 来年は日本に行きたいと___。
Answer: 思っています
Why: Ongoing intention/opinion.
9. Case studies in real situations
This section helps you pick a pattern by social context—not only by memorized formulas.
Case A: Office meeting
In meetings you often report another team’s info without claiming you saw it yourself. Hearsay is safer. “Logistics said the shipment is delayed” maps better to a report pattern than to a claim you personally witnessed the process.
Rule of thumb: if the info came from someone else, use report patterns like ...そうです or ...と言っていました. You sound careful, professional, and not overclaiming.
Case B: Sharing opinions in discussion
In team discussion, opinions should sound clear but flexible. と思います marks “this is my view right now” and leaves room to talk. A bare final statement can sound absolute.
と思っています is slightly different: a view you’ve held for a while, not a snap reaction. That small difference matters in negotiation and formal talk.
Case C: Casual chat with friends
Casually, short forms like って often replace と. The grammar logic is the same. Don’t drop structure that keeps the meaning clear just because the register is relaxed.
Casual chat also mixes the two そう types. Learners often say “looks tasty” with the “I heard it’s tasty” form. Quick check: if the source is your own eyes, use appearance; if the source is someone else’s info, use hearsay.
Case D: Content or presentations
In articles, captions, or talks, quote and opinion patterns separate facts, rumors, and personal stance—key for credibility. Mark clearly what you observed, what third parties said, and what you conclude.
That habit trains careful language and careful thinking. This topic matters for exams and for long-term professional communication.
10. Gradual production practice (7 days)
To keep these patterns active long-term, use this production plan.
Day 1: Focus と言う
Write five direct quotes and five indirect quotes from daily life—teachers, bosses, friends, or news.
Day 2: Focus と思う
Write ten personal opinions on simple topics: weather, food, study, transit, morning habits, weekly plans. Cover nouns, adjectives, and verbs correctly.
Day 3: Focus both そう types
Take ten photos. For each, write one appearance sentence. Then write five hearsay sentences from friends or media.
Day 4: Mixed formal context
Write one meeting-style paragraph with:
- two report sentences from others,
- two personal opinions,
- one conclusion.
Day 5: Mixed casual context
Write an eight-line dialogue between friends with at least:
- one quote,
- one opinion,
- one hearsay,
- one appearance.
Day 6: Self-correction
Reread days 1–5. Sort errors into:
- form mistakes,
- nuance mistakes,
- social-context mistakes.
Day 7: Speaking simulation
Record 2–3 minutes on one topic (e.g. vacation plans). Include:
- at least two quotes,
- at least two opinions,
- at least two hearsay or appearance lines.
Replay and check whether you keep information sources separate.
11. Quick checklist before you speak
Five-second mental check:
- Did I see this myself, or hear it from someone else?
- Am I quoting exact words or only the content?
- Is this a snap opinion or a longer-held view?
- Do I want to sound neutral, firm, or casual?
- Is my
そうform the right type?
Simple—and it blocks the most common errors on this topic.
Helpful habit: after a short news clip or podcast, write three lines—one quote, one personal opinion, one hearsay summary. Over time this trains source-splitting automatically and sharpens careful thinking.
New vocabulary
| Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji | Meaning | Word class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 言う | いう | iu | to say | verb |
| 思う | おもう | omou | to think | verb |
| 噂 | うわさ | uwasa | rumor | noun |
| 印象 | いんしょう | inshou | impression | noun |
| 引用 | いんよう | inyou | quotation | noun/suru |
| 意見 | いけん | iken | opinion | noun |
| 状況 | じょうきょう | joukyou | situation | noun |
| 判断 | はんだん | handan | judgment | noun/suru |
| 伝える | つたえる | tsutaeru | to convey | verb |
| 区別 | くべつ | kubetsu | distinction | noun/suru |
Conclusion
と言うquotes speech directly or indirectly.と思うmarks personal opinion;と思っているfeels ongoing.- Two similar
そうだforms mean different things: hearsay vs appearance. - Tiny form errors (
おいしいそうだvsおいしそうだ) flip the meaning. - These patterns power speaking, listening, and reading at N4–N3.
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頑張って！ (Ganbatte / Keep going!)