意見を言うGiving Opinions
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- State a personal opinion clearly and politely, using 「〜と思います」.
- Give a reason for an opinion, using 「理由は〜」 and 「〜から／ので」.
- Agree with another person's opinion in a natural, supportive way.
- Disagree with another person's opinion gently, without sounding blunt or dismissive.
- Soften an opinion or leave room for uncertainty, using 「〜かもしれません」.
- Take part in a short connected exchange of opinions about a familiar topic.
Communication Scenario
After talking about the news in Chapter 12, Emma and Yuki keep meeting at the community center to plan Emma's project. Now that Emma can follow local news and understand what is being reported, she needs to start forming and expressing her own views about the topics they discuss — the project itself, the neighborhood, and everyday choices. This chapter continues Unit III by giving Emma, and you, the tools to state opinions, support them with reasons, and respond to other people's opinions politely.
- Emma and Yuki discuss two possible days for the project event and each gives an opinion.
- Emma explains her reason for preferring one option over the other.
- Yuki partly agrees, partly disagrees, and softens her own opinion with かもしれません.
Core Vocabulary
The following vocabulary supports this chapter's focus on supported opinions about daily life, school and work, media, community, and practical topics. All items are productive at this chapter unless marked otherwise.
| Japanese | Reading | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 意見 | いけん | opinion |
| 理由 | りゆう | reason |
| 賛成 | さんせい | agreement; approval |
| 反対 | はんたい | disagreement; opposition |
| 大切 | たいせつ | important |
| 役に立つ | やくにたつ | to be useful |
| 考え | かんがえ | thought; idea |
| 一番 | いちばん | the most; number one |
| たしかに | たしかに | certainly; it's true that |
| でも | でも | but; however |
賛成 and 反対 combine naturally with 「する」, for example 賛成する (to agree) and 反対する (to disagree). 役に立つ is a fixed phrase and should be learned as a full unit rather than analyzed word by word.
Script and Kanji Focus
This chapter introduces kanji for opinion, reason, agreement, disagreement, importance, and usefulness. These are new to Volume II and keep furigana throughout this chapter. Chapter 12 kanji now appear with reduced furigana, since Chapter 12 is consolidated by this point in the volume, and Chapter 8 and 9 kanji continue to appear without furigana as in recent chapters.
You have already seen the character 見 in 見出し (headline) in Chapter 12. Here it appears again in 意見 (opinion), read differently within this new word. Remember that a reading belongs to the word, not to the character alone: 見 is read み in 見出し but けん in 意見. Keep both words separate in your own notes rather than assuming one reading applies everywhere.
れんしゅう — Practice: Write each of the eight new kanji above once from memory, then use each one in a short phrase such as 私の意見 (my opinion) or 大切な理由 (an important reason).
Pronunciation Focus
Several new words in this chapter contain a geminate consonant, a long vowel, or both together:
- 賛成 (さんせい) has a long vowel in the second syllable; keep it distinct from さんせ.
- 反対 (はんたい) contains the moraic ん followed by a た-row consonant; keep the ん as its own mora rather than blending it into はんたい as one syllable.
- 一番 (いちばん) ends in moraic ん and should not be shortened to いちば.
- たしかに is often pronounced with a slightly stressed first syllable in natural speech, but all four morae should remain equal in length in your own careful pronunciation.
Practice tapping out the mora count for 賛成, 反対, and 一番 before using them in the Guided Practice section below.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter introduces four connected systems for expressing and responding to opinions: stating an opinion with と思います, giving a reason with 理由は and から／ので, softening a claim with かもしれません, and agreeing or disagreeing politely.
1. Stating an opinion — と思います
Purpose: to present a statement as your own opinion or judgment, rather than as an established fact.
- その日がいいと思います。I think that day is good.plain form + と思います → opinion
- この計画は難しいと思います。I think this plan is difficult.
- みんな賛成すると思います。I think everyone will agree.
と思います attaches to the plain form of a verb, adjective, or noun + だ (the だ is usually dropped directly before と思います with noun and な-adjective predicates, for example 大切だと思います is also possible and common). It marks the statement as the speaker's own view.
2. Giving a reason — 理由は and から／ので
Purpose: to explain why you hold an opinion, so that your opinion is supported rather than simply stated.
- 理由は、その日はみんな時間があるからです。The reason is that everyone has time that day.
- この方法は簡単だから、いいと思います。Since this method is simple, I think it's good.
- 駅から近いので、便利だと思います。Since it's close to the station, I think it's convenient.
から and ので both give a reason, but ので tends to sound slightly softer and more common in polite explanations, while から is often used with 理由は〜からです as a direct answer to "why." Either is appropriate in this chapter's tasks.
3. Softening a claim — かもしれません
Purpose: to present an opinion as a possibility rather than a certainty, which makes disagreement and uncertain statements sound more natural and less forceful.
- その日は難しいかもしれません。That day might be difficult.
- みんな賛成しないかもしれません。Everyone might not agree.
- たしかに、それも大切かもしれません。Certainly, that might be important too.
4. Agreeing and disagreeing politely
Purpose: to respond to someone else's opinion in a way that keeps the conversation comfortable, whether you agree completely, partly, or not at all.
- 私もそう思います。I think so too. (agreement)
- たしかにそうですね。でも、〜かもしれません。That's certainly true. But, ... might be the case. (soft disagreement)
- 私はちょっと違う意見です。I have a somewhat different opinion. (gentle disagreement)
Soft disagreement usually begins by acknowledging the other person's point with たしかに or そうですね before introducing a different view with でも or が. Disagreeing without any acknowledgment first can sound unnecessarily blunt.
Grammar Practice
- Write one sentence stating an opinion using と思います.
- Write one sentence giving a reason using 理由は〜からです or 〜ので.
- Write one sentence softening a claim using かもしれません.
- Combine your sentences from items 1 through 3 above into one connected opinion, following the Building Block pattern.
- Write a short response that partly agrees and partly disagrees with the opinion 「日本語の勉強は毎日したほうがいいと思います。」
Model Dialogue
Setting: Emma and Yuki are choosing a day for the community center project event.
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What day does Emma first suggest, and what are her two reasons?
- What concern does Yuki raise about Emma's suggestion?
- Which day do Emma and Yuki finally agree on, and why?
Guided Practice
タスク１ — State and support an opinion. For each topic below, write one sentence with と思います and one sentence giving a reason with から or ので.
- weekday events versus weekend events
- reading the news online versus watching it on television
- studying Japanese every day versus studying a few times a week
タスク２ — Soften your opinion. Rewrite one of your sentences from Task 1 to include かもしれません somewhere in the sentence, so that it sounds less certain.
タスク３ — Agree or disagree. Read the opinion 「駅前のイベントのほうが便利だと思います。」 and write a two-sentence response: first acknowledge the point with たしかに or そうですね, then give your own opinion, agreeing or disagreeing.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud at a clear, moderate pace.
きくタスク — A short opinion exchange
私は日曜日のイベントについて、公園でやったほうがいいと思います。理由は、公園は広いし、静かだからです。それに、駅前よりも駐車場が近いと思います。でも、天気が悪い日は、公園は使えないかもしれません。その場合は、コミュニティセンターの中でやるのがいいと思います。
聞くタスク — Listening task: Note the speaker's opinion about where to hold the event, the two reasons given, and what the speaker suggests as a backup plan.
This script uses と思います three times and かもしれません once; listen for how the speaker moves between confident opinions and a softened possibility.
Speaking Practice
コントロールされた練習 — Controlled practice: Quick answers
- 土曜日と日曜日と、どちらがいいと思いますか。
- 日本語の勉強で、一番大切なことは何だと思いますか。
- この町のニュースアプリは役に立つと思いますか。
コミュニケーションタスク — Opinion exchange role-play
With a partner, choose one topic: choosing a day for an event, choosing a place for an event, or choosing how often to study. Take turns stating an opinion with と思います, giving a reason, and responding to your partner's opinion with agreement, soft disagreement, or a softened opinion using かもしれません.
ひとりでもできる練習 — Solo practice: Recorded opinion
Record yourself giving a one-minute opinion about a topic of your choice, including at least one reason and one instance of かもしれません. Listen back and check that your opinion and reason are clearly connected and that your long vowels and moraic ん are clear.
Reading Practice
Read the following short opinion post, then answer the questions below.
地域のイベントについての意見 — An opinion about the local event
私は、地域のイベントは駅前でやったほうがいいと思います。理由は、駅前は交通の便がいいし、人がたくさん集まりやすいからです。たしかに、公園のほうが静かで広いという考え方もあるかもしれません。でも、参加する人の数を考えると、駅前のほうが便利だと思います。この意見に賛成する人も、反対する人もいると思いますが、みんなで話し合うことが一番大切だと思います。
Notice that Chapter 12 kanji such as 記事 or 情報 do not appear here, but words that continue from earlier chapters, like 便利, appear without furigana, matching this stage of the furigana reduction schedule.
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- Where does the writer think the event should be held, and why?
- What is the opposing view the writer acknowledges?
- What does the writer say is the most important thing, regardless of which opinion people hold?
Writing Workshop
In this workshop you will write a short opinion post about a familiar topic, following the Building Block pattern from the Grammar section.
- State your opinion, using と思います.
- Give your reason, using 理由は〜からです or 〜ので.
- Acknowledge a different view, using たしかに or そうですね, if one exists.
- Soften a claim if appropriate, using かもしれません.
- Invite a response, using どう思いますか.
- Revise and check using the checklist below before finalizing your text.
チェックリスト — Editing checklist:
- My opinion is clearly marked with と思います and not stated as plain fact.
- I gave at least one clear reason for my opinion.
- I acknowledged a different view before disagreeing, if I disagreed with anyone.
- I used かもしれません at least once to soften a claim.
- I kept furigana on this chapter's new kanji and reduced furigana on Chapter 12 kanji, following the furigana reduction schedule.
- I ended each sentence with 。 and used consistent script and punctuation.
Culture and Communication
In many Japanese group settings, such as community meetings, workplaces, and classrooms, people often acknowledge another person's point before introducing a different view, rather than disagreeing directly and immediately. This pattern is common in many communication cultures around the world and is not unique to Japan, but it is worth noticing here because it shapes how the grammar in this chapter is actually used. Individual habits vary by personality, relationship, workplace culture, and setting, so this is a tendency to be aware of rather than a fixed rule that every speaker follows.
The exact words used to soften an opinion or ease into disagreement can vary somewhat by region, generation, and community, though たしかに、そうですね、and でも are broadly understood and usable across contemporary standard Japanese. Some communities favor additional softening particles or phrases not covered in this chapter; those are left for later, more advanced volumes.
と思います is compatible with both polite and plain styles, depending on what comes before it. Combined with a plain-form clause, と思います itself keeps the sentence at a polite level appropriate for most everyday and semi-formal situations. Dropping です／ます entirely and using plain style throughout, such as 「そう思う」, is possible among close friends and family, but that fuller shift to plain style is not the focus of this chapter and should not be assumed to be interchangeable with と思います in every context.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: *違います。日曜日がいいです。 used as an immediate, unsoftened response to someone else's suggestion, which can sound unnecessarily blunt in most everyday contexts.
Correction: たしかにそうですね。でも、私は日曜日のほうがいいと思います。 — acknowledging the other person's point first keeps the exchange comfortable before introducing a different opinion.
Error: *土曜日がいいです。 presented with no marker, so a personal opinion is expressed in exactly the same way as an established fact.
Correction: 土曜日がいいと思います。 — と思います clearly marks the statement as the speaker's own opinion rather than a settled fact.
Error: *土曜日がいいかもしれません。理由は時間があるかもしれないからです。 softening both the opinion and the reason so heavily that the opinion loses its clarity.
Correction: 土曜日がいいと思います。理由は、時間があるからです。 — state the core opinion and reason with ordinary confidence, and reserve かもしれません for a genuinely uncertain point.
Chapter Review
Section A — ごい (Vocabulary)
1. Use 意見, 理由, 賛成, and 反対 each in one sentence.
Section B — もじ (Script)
1. Write 意見, 理由, 大切, and 一番 from memory, and note that all four kanji from this chapter keep furigana in this chapter's texts.
Section C — ぶんぽう (Grammar)
1. Write one sentence stating an opinion with と思います.
2. Write one sentence giving a reason with から or ので.
3. Write one sentence using かもしれません to soften a claim.
4. Write a two-sentence response to an opinion that first agrees, then adds your own view.
5. Explain, in your own words, why acknowledging another person's opinion before disagreeing is useful in conversation.
Section D — どっかいりかい (Reading comprehension)
1. Look again at the opinion post in the Reading Practice section. Write two sentences summarizing it in your own words.
Section E — かくこと (Writing)
1. Complete your own opinion post, following the Writing Workshop steps.
Section F — はなすこと (Speaking)
1. With a partner or instructor, exchange opinions about one of the Speaking Practice topics, using at least one reason and one instance of かもしれません.
Practical Performance Task
パフォーマンスタスク
意見を伝える — Sharing an opinion
Imagine your community group needs to decide something practical, such as when, where, or how to hold an event. Complete all three components below.
- Written opinion: Write a short opinion post of at least five sentences that states your opinion, gives a reason, acknowledges a different view, and softens at least one claim with かもしれません, using the Building Block pattern from the Grammar section.
- Spoken exchange: With a partner, instructor, or recording, present your opinion aloud and respond to at least one opinion that differs from your own, using soft disagreement.
- Listening check: Listen to a partner's or instructor's opinion and correctly identify the opinion, the reason, and any softened or uncertain point.
Assessment focus: accurate and natural use of と思います, 理由は〜から／ので, and かもしれません; polite and comfortable agreement and disagreement; correct kanji recognition with appropriate furigana for this chapter's new kanji; and comprehensible pronunciation with attention to gemination and moraic ん in opinion vocabulary.
Answer Key
Grammar Practice
1. Model: 土曜日がいいと思います。 2. Model: 理由は、みんな時間があるからです。 3. Model: 天気が悪いかもしれません。 4. Open-ended; check that the combined opinion follows the と思います → 理由は〜から → かもしれません order or a natural equivalent. 5. Model: たしかにそうですね。でも、たまに休むのもいいかもしれません。
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Emma first suggests Saturday, because everyone has time that day and the weather forecast says it will be sunny.
- Yuki points out that there might be another event in front of the station on Saturday.
- They agree on Sunday, because it avoids the worry about another event.
Listening task — Model summary
The speaker thinks the event should be held in the park because it is spacious, quiet, and has parking closer than the station. However, the speaker notes the park might not be usable if the weather is bad, in which case the speaker suggests holding the event inside the community center instead.
Reading — Comprehension
- The writer thinks the event should be held in front of the station, because transportation is convenient and it is easy for people to gather there.
- The writer acknowledges that some people might think the park is quieter and more spacious.
- The writer says that talking things through together is the most important thing, regardless of which opinion people hold.
Chapter Review — Section A and B
Open-ended; check against the Core Vocabulary and Script and Kanji Focus sections above.
Chapter Review — Section C
Open-ended; models follow the patterns shown in the Grammar section above. For item 5, a correct explanation notes that acknowledging the other person's opinion first helps keep the conversation comfortable and cooperative before a different view is introduced.
Chapter Review — Section D
Model answer: この人は、駅前のほうが交通の便がよくて人が集まりやすいから、イベントは駅前でやるのがいいと思っています。でも、公園がいいと考える人もいると認めています。 (Other accurate answers accepted.)
Chapter Review — Section E and F, and Practical Performance Task
These are open-ended production tasks. Evaluate written work against the Writing Workshop checklist above, and evaluate the spoken exchange and listening check against the assessment focus listed under the Practical Performance Task.
Looking Ahead
いまできること — What you can do now
You can state a personal opinion using と思います, give a reason using 理由は〜から or 〜ので, soften an uncertain claim using かもしれません, and respond to someone else's opinion with agreement or gentle disagreement. You can also combine these patterns into a short, connected opinion with supporting reasons.