'~tari shite': The Japanese Trick for 'Planting' Thoughts

Have you ever heard a Japanese person say something that sounds a bit non-committal, and then end it with... '~tari shite'? 🤔

Many Japanese learners only know the structure 'V-tari, V-tari suru' for listing actions like 'sometimes do A, sometimes do B'. But its real power, the one that Japanese people use every day, lies in its independent use at the end of a sentence.

This is the secret to subtly 'planting' a thought, a suggestion, or a worry into someone else's head!

1. Making Gentle, Non-Imposing Suggestions 🎈

Instead of directly asking 'Want to go see a movie this weekend?' (週末、映画に行きませんか？), which is a clear invitation, a Japanese person might 'casually drop' a line like:

週末、映画を見に行ったりして？ (This weekend, maybe we could go see a movie or something...?)

This phrasing turns an invitation into a casual suggestion. It's as if you're talking to yourself, but you're actually 'testing the waters' with the other person. The listener won't feel pressured to agree or refuse.

2. Expressing a Vague Worry or Guess 😟

When you're worried about something but not sure, '~tari shite' is the perfect lifesaver. It expresses a guess without being assertive.

For example, when you're waiting for a friend who's late:

もしかして、事故にでも遭ったりして…。 (Maybe, just maybe, they got into an accident or something...)

This is completely different from the sentence 「事故に遭ったかもしれません」(They might have gotten into an accident). '~tari shite' expresses a thought that just flashed through your mind, a bad possibility that you're not sure of but still feel uneasy about.

3. Praising Yourself or Joking Humbly 😜

This is an extremely interesting and natural use. When you've done something very well, instead of bragging 'I'm a genius!', you can say it half-jokingly, half-seriously:

俺、実は天才だったりして（笑） (Maybe I'm actually a genius or something (lol))

This phrasing helps you 'show off' your achievement in a clever, humorous way that doesn't annoy others. It shows confidence while still maintaining an air of humility.

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✨ Pocket Tip

The common thread in all these uses is vagueness and non-imposition. '~tari shite' is like a 'trial balloon' you release to see the other person's reaction, or a way to voice your thoughts without having to be 100% responsible for them.

Mastering this trick will make your communication 'softer,' more skillful, and much more like a native speaker!