「Ki ga suru」: The Master Trick for 'Feeling-Based' Talk

Are you a rational or an intuitive person? 🤔 In Japanese, there's a specific way to express thoughts based on 'hunches' rather than 'logic'. That is 「〜気がする」(ki ga suru).

Many of you might think it's the same as「〜と思う」(to omou), both meaning 'I think...'. But they are not! Understanding this difference will help you speak with much more 'depth' and nuance.

「Omou」vs.「Ki ga suru」: Logic vs. Intuition

Imagine you are looking at the sky.

If you see dark clouds gathering and have read the weather forecast predicting rain, you would say:

🧠 雨が降ると思います。 (Ame ga furu to omoimasu.) → I think it will rain.

This is a deduction based on evidence (dark clouds, forecast). It's a conclusion of reason.

But if the sky is just a little overcast, the air a bit humid, and you just have a vague feeling that it might rain, you would say:

❤️ なんだか雨が降る気がする。 (Nandaka ame ga furu ki ga suru.) → I have a feeling it's going to rain.

This isn't a deduction, but a hunch, a vague feeling from your senses or intuition. It comes from the heart (intuition).

"God-tier" Use Cases for「Ki ga suru」

「Ki ga suru」is the ultimate weapon for expressing things you're not sure about but have a feeling for.

1. When you have a good/bad feeling

✨ このプロジェクト、うまくいく気がする。 (This project, I have a feeling it will go well.)

👻 後ろに誰かいる気がする… (I have a feeling someone is behind me...) This is a classic line in horror movies. Using「いると思う」would ruin the creepy vibe!

2. When your memory is hazy

🤔 この人、前にどこかで会った気がする。 (This person, I have a feeling I've met them somewhere before.) You can't remember exactly, it's just a familiar feeling.

3. When giving an opinion gently

Instead of saying directly「彼の話は嘘だと思う」(I think his story is a lie), you can say it more gently and less 'accusatory':

🤫 彼の話、なんだか嘘な気がするんだよね。 (His story, for some reason, I have a feeling it's not true.) This way of speaking is much 'safer' because you're just talking about your 'feeling'.

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The Takeaway

• 〜と思う: Use when you have reasons or evidence to form a thought or judgment. (Think)
• 〜気がする: Use when you have a hunch, intuition, or a vague feeling. (Feel)

Next time you want to say 'I think...', stop for a second and ask yourself: Is this thought from my 'head' or a feeling from my 'heart'? Choose the right word, and you'll find your Japanese becomes much more natural and nuanced! 😉