Guides N5
L6 : Something on Your Mind?
Become more familiar with the ways to talk about thinking and knowing
Something on Your Mind?
In this Bonus Topic, we're going to clarify two confusing pairs of common verbs. Specifically, the verbs for 'to think', and the verbs for 'to understand' or 'to know'. Let's dive into the nuances!
Détails
Let's break down the differences, both in meaning and grammar.
Thinking Versus Thinking About
While both 思う and 考える can be translated as 'to think', they represent different processes.
思う is used for opinions, feelings, speculation, or desires. It is your psychological or emotional impression. The quotation particle と is normally used with 思う.
考える is more logical and contemplative. It is about thinking over a complex problem for a period of time. The object marker を is normally used with 考える.
Note that other particles or structures can be used with either, but we will learn more about this in N4!
Knowing Versus Understanding
The difference between 知る and わかる comes down to depth and quality of knowledge. Importantly, they use different particles and conjugations! (And let’s not forget that 知る is an う-Verb despite looking like a る-Verb, it conjugates like 知って, not 知て)!
知る is about clear-cut information. Either you know it or you don't. It uses を to mark the thing that is known, and will use ている when saying that something is currently (already) known.
On the other hand, わかる is used for understanding, including the 'why' or 'how' of things. It isn't about information but about reasoning. わかる will mark the understood thing with が, and will typically remain in the non-past form to express understanding.
Note that ている is also used with わかる to emphasize having 'got' something, however it can come across as impatient or rude.
I Don't Know About All That...
Besides particle usage, there are a couple of other things to be careful of with the 知る and わかる pair when used in the negative.
First, watch out for the fact that even though the positive state of knowing is 知っている (with ている), the negative is simply 知らない (not 知っていない).
Second, when used in the negative, the feeling can be quite different. 知らない can come across as cold or very dismissive in some cases.
Plans for Summer Vacation
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けん：「ななは夏休み何をするの？」
なな：「家族で旅行に行くと思う。去年はハワイに行ったから、今年は日本で旅行すると思う。けんはどうするの？」
けん：「僕はお父さんとお母さんが仕事でアメリカに行くから、家で一人なんだ！」
なな：「一緒に行かないの？」
けん：「うん。家で毎日一人でゲームをするのを楽しみにしているんだ。」
なな：「あのー、けんがとてもゲームが好きなのは知っているけど、毎日は危険！」
けん：「大丈夫。毎日って言ったけど、たぶん毎日ゲームはしないと思う。お母さんがいないから、僕が家の掃除をして、ご飯も作るんだ。」
なな：「まあ、けんが夏休み一人なのは分かったから、時々週末に遊びに行くよ。」