How to Say ‘To think’ in Japanese
考える
kangaeru
[kahn-gah-eh-roo]
💬 Usage Tip: Verb [考える]. Common: [どう思う？] (“what do you think?”) and [考えすぎ] (“overthinking”).
🇯🇵 In Japan: In relationship talks, [考えてくれて嬉しい] (“I’m happy you thought about it”) is a common appreciative response.
Phrase Breakdown
考える
kangaeru
[kahn-gah-eh-roo]
to think; to consider
Used for thinking/considering seriously (not just imagining). Common for relationship talk: 〜について考える, 真剣に考える.
あなたとの関係を真剣に考える。
I’m seriously thinking about my relationship with you.
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