N5 · Unit 6
Lesson 24Opinions, reported speech, and explanation
State your judgment, report what someone said, and add background or reasons with an explanatory tone.
What you learn
State your judgment, report what someone said, and add background or reasons with an explanatory tone.
Learning points
- Opinions and prediction
- Direct and indirect reporting
- Explaining background and reasons
Why this lesson comes now
This lesson connects what you can already say to a new way of expressing it. Hear the key sentences, understand the structure, then use it in a real situation.
Your next step
Listen to the key sentences, understand the pattern, finish the examples and vocabulary, then continue to the next lesson.
Open the interactive lessonCore pattern
普通形と 思います ・ 普通形と 言いました ・ 〜んですBeginner explanation
Use plain form＋と思います for an opinion or judgment and plain form＋と言いました to report what someone said. 〜んです adds background, a reason, or an explanation of the current situation.
Understand these sentences first
- 明日は 晴れると 思います。ashita wa hareru to omoimasu
I think it will be sunny tomorrow.
- この 店は おいしいと 思います。kono mise wa oishii to omoimasu
I think this restaurant is good.
- 友達は 少し 遅れると 言いました。tomodachi wa sukoshi okureru to iimashita
My friend said they would be a little late.
- 電車が 止まったんです。densha ga tomattan desu
The train stopped, you see.
Core vocabulary
- 思いますおもいますthink
- 言いますいいますsay
- 晴れますはれますclear up
- 遅れますおくれますbe late
- 止まりますとまりますstop
- 理由りゆうreason
- 意見いけんopinion
- 本当ほんとうtrue
Grammar, one point at a time
Plain form + と思います states the speaker's current judgment or opinion
普通形 + と 思いますThe quoted clause uses plain form; present affirmative nouns and na-adjectives retain だ. The pattern frames a claim as I think, but does not turn an unverified claim into fact. Use と思いました for a past thought and often と思っています for a continuing thought or another person's stated view.
Examples
- 明日は 雨が 降ると 思います。I think it will rain tomorrow.
- この 方法は 簡単だと 思います。I think this method is simple.
- 前は 難しいと 思いました。I used to think it was difficult.
Plain form + と言いました reports quoted content
人は／人に + 普通形 + と 言いましたMark the speaker with は and an explicit addressee with に. Present affirmative nouns and na-adjectives retain だ. Use と言いました for one past utterance; depending on context, と言っています can report repeated, ongoing, or currently relayed speech.
Examples
- 担当者は 午後から 出かけると 言いました。The person in charge said they would go out in the afternoon.
- 先生は この 試験は 難しかったと 言いました。The teacher said the test was difficult.
- 友達は また 行きたいと 言っています。My friend says they want to go again.
Nouns and na-adjectives retain だ before と思う and と言う
N／Aだ + と 思う／言うThe だ in 駅だと思います and 静かだと言いました belongs to the quoted clause. Verbs and i-adjectives do not take だ: use 来ると思う and おもしろいと思う.
Examples
- あそこは 駅だと 思います。I think that is a station.
- 部屋は 静かだと 言いました。They said the room was quiet.
- この 本は おもしろいと 思います。I think this book is interesting.
〜んです presents information as background or explanation for the current situation
普通形 + んです／N・Aな + なんですVerbs and i-adjectives use plain form. Present affirmative nouns and na-adjectives replace だ with な, as in 休みなんです and 静かなんです. The pattern explains a situation, supplies relevant background, or leads into a request; it is not mere emphasis. のです is more written or formal.
Examples
- 頭が 痛いんです。I have a headache, you see.
- 今日は 休みなんです。Today is a day off, you see.
- 駅を 探しているんですが…。I am looking for the station...
どうして〜んですか asks for a reason connected to the situation
どうして + 普通形 + んですかThe answer commonly also uses 〜んです to connect the reason to the question. Direct why questions about private or sensitive matters can pressure the listener, so show concern or allow them not to answer.
Examples
- どうして 食べないんですか。— おなかが いっぱいなんです。Why aren't you eating? — Because I am full.
- どうして 遅れたんですか。— 電車が 止まったんです。Why were you late? — The train stopped.
〜んですが gives background before a question, request, or consultation
普通形 + んですが、…Here が mainly sets up what follows rather than marking contrast. Polite requests often begin with すみませんが or 〜んですが to sound less abrupt; close speech can use 〜んだけど. A speaker may pause after the background and wait for the listener to respond.
Examples
- 美術館へ 行きたいんですが、どうやって 行きますか。I want to go to the museum. How do I get there?
- 少し 聞きたいんですが、今 いいですか。I would like to ask something. Is now a good time?
Expressions and situations
〜と思います softens an opinion but does not make it automatically correct
It is natural for evaluations, predictions, and advice. Confirmed objective information should instead state its source. Adding と思います to every sentence can sound evasive.
- この 案が いいと 思います。I think this proposal is good.
- 会議は 3時からです。予定表に 書いてあります。The meeting starts at three; it is on the schedule.
どうやって asks how; どうして asks why
どうやって行きますか asks for a route or method. どうして行きますか normally means why are you going. To ask for transport, 何で行きますか is also available.
- 空港へ どうやって 行きますか。How do you get to the airport?
- どうして 空港へ 行くんですか。Why are you going to the airport?
Nについて marks a topic of discussion, thought, or research
It commonly combines with 話す, 考える, 調べる, 研究する, or どう思う. A heading may omit the following verb. It marks about this subject more explicitly than topic は alone.
- 日本の 音楽について どう 思いますか。What do you think about Japanese music?
- 交通について 調べます。I will research transport.
とうとう marks an expected result finally arriving after a process
The result may be welcome or unwelcome: とうとう完成した and とうとう別れの日になった. It does not simply mean the last item; it highlights arrival after waiting, change, or accumulation.
- とうとう 上巻を 終えました。I finally finished the first volume.
Farewell expressions depend on relationship, health, and the leaving situation
お世話になりました thanks someone for past support. よろしくお伝えください asks them to pass on regards. お元気で is for a healthy person you will not see for some time. お気をつけて wishes safety on a journey or action. お大事に is only for someone ill or injured.
- 今まで お世話になりました。Thank you for all your support.
- ご家族に よろしく お伝えください。Please give my regards to your family.
- どうぞ お気をつけて。Please take care on your way.
〜中 marks an action, event, or state in progress
Nouns attach directly, as in 会議中, 出張中, and 工事中. Some verbs use the masu-stem, as in 話し中 and 使用中. Not every verb forms a natural word this way, and 来ます does not become 来中.
- 担当者は 出張中です。The person in charge is away on business.
- 電話は 話し中です。The line is busy.
見送り can mean seeing off, watching depart, postponement, or deciding not to proceed
The object and setting determine the meaning: 空港で見送る means see someone off, 姿を見送る watch someone leave, 採用を見送る postpone or decline adoption, and 機会を見送る let an opportunity pass. The kanji does not always mean a farewell.
- 駅で 友達を 見送ります。I will see my friend off at the station.
- 今回は 購入を 見送ります。We will hold off on the purchase this time.
すみませんが or 〜んですが before a request makes the purpose clearer and more considerate
A lead-in does not automatically make a coercive demand polite. Leave room for the listener to respond and choose a form such as 〜ていただけますか or 〜てもらえますか that fits the relationship.
- すみませんが、もう 一度 言っていただけますか。Excuse me, could you say that once more?
さようなら is not a universal everyday goodbye
It can suit formal or longer farewells and fixed settings such as school. Friends separating briefly more often say じゃあ、また or またね; leaving work has お先に失礼します.
- じゃあ、また 来週。See you next week.
- お先に 失礼します。Excuse me for leaving first.
What you should be able to do
- Attach verb, i-adjective, na-adjective, and noun predicates to と思います and と言いました, checking whether だ remains.
- Distinguish the speaker's current judgment, past thought, continuing view, and reported third-person statement.
- Convert 15 plain forms into 〜んです or 〜なんです and identify the background each supplies.
- Ask reasons with どうして〜んですか and answer with 〜んです, then soften sensitive questions.
- Distinguish どうやって, どうして, 〜について, and lead-in が in route questions and polite requests.
- Complete an original send-off: express thanks, pass on regards, wish safe travel, and interpret the meanings of 見送り correctly.
Culture and real use
What to say at a farewell: gratitude, regards, health, and safe travel have different targets
The Japan Foundation explains お世話になりました as a farewell thanking someone who has supported the speaker, and お元気で as a farewell to someone not seen for some time. The Agency for Cultural Affairs also emphasizes that lead-ins before requests or messages show consideration for the burden on the listener. A farewell therefore cannot rely on one generic take care. Use お元気で or お気をつけて for a healthy traveler, お大事に only for someone ill or injured, and よろしくお伝えください to ask that regards be passed on. Workplace roles may call for お先に失礼します. 見送り also means watching someone depart, postponing a plan, or passing up an opportunity, so the object determines the meaning.
- 今まで 本当に お世話になりました。Thank you sincerely for all your support.
- ご家族に よろしく お伝えください。Please give my regards to your family.
- どうぞ お気をつけて。Please take care on your way.