How to Say ‘I feel / I think’ in Japanese
気がします
ki ga shi masu
[kee gah shee mahss]
💬 Usage Tip: [気がします] softens what you say into "I feel" or "it seems to me," which is useful when you want to disagree politely. In disputes, it sounds less confrontational than a flat statement.
Phrase Breakdown
気
ki
[kee]
feeling; sense
気 often means feeling, impression, or sense.
気がしますと言うと柔らかいです。
Saying 'ki ga shimasu' sounds softer.
が
ga
[gah]
subject marker
Marks 気 as the subject in the expression 気がする.
気がしますは控えめな言い方です。
'Ki ga shimasu' is a reserved way of speaking.
し
shi
[shee]
do; feel
From する, in this expression meaning 'to feel' or 'to have the sense that.'
気がしますと伝えると柔らかい印象です。
When you say 'I feel that...,' it gives a softer impression.
ます
masu
[mahss]
polite non-past ending
Completes the polite present form します.
気がしますは断定を避ける表現です。
'Ki ga shimasu' is an expression that avoids sounding too definite.
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