How do you say "I think / It feels like" in Japanese?

"I think / It feels like" in Japanese is "気がします". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

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How to Say ‘I think / It feels like’ in Japanese

Q: What does "気がします" mean in English?

"気がします" means "I think / It feels like" in English. Usage tip: [気がします] is a useful softener: it means "I feel" or "it seems to me," making your claim less blunt. That's handy in disputes: [間違いな気がします] means "I feel like it may be wrong."

気がします

ki ga shi masu

[kee gah shee mahss]

💬 Usage Tip: [気がします] is a useful softener: it means "I feel" or "it seems to me," making your claim less blunt. That's handy in disputes: [間違いな気がします] means "I feel like it may be wrong."

🇯🇵 In Japan: This is a very Japanese way to disagree without sounding too absolute. In a conflict, softening your claim like this can come across as calmer and more reasonable.

Phrase Breakdown

気

[kee]

feeling; sense

Used in 気がします to mean “I feel” or “it seems to me.”

Example

気がします、とやわらかく言えます。

You can soften your statement with “I feel...”

が

[gah]

subject marker

Marks 気 as the subject in the expression 気がします.

Example

気がします、と丁寧に伝えました。

I politely said, “I feel that...”

し

shi

[shee]

do (stem part)

Part of します, from する, used in the expression 気がします.

Example

気がします、と控えめに話しました。

I spoke modestly using “I feel that...”

ます

masu

[mahss]

do; polite ending

Completes します, making the expression polite.

Example

気がします、と相手に伝えました。

I told the other person, “I feel that...”

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