Framing your own view
Conversation phrases, Stage 1chunk 24 of 68What do you think
Open your opinion so it lands as personal, not as fact.
- yoku wakannai kedoI'm not really sure, but ...; I don't know much, but ...
- watashi dattara ...if it were me, I'd ...; if I were you, ...
- kojinteki ni wapersonally; for me
- watashiteki ni wafor me; as far as I'm concerned
- butchakehonestly; to be blunt; let's be real
Mix-ups watashi dattara (if it were me) vs watashi datta (it was me).
yoku wakannai kedo
polite yoku wakaranai desu kedo
I'm not really sure, but ...; I don't know much, but ...
Hedges an opinion or guess on a topic you don't know well.
Wakannai is the spoken form of wakaranai.
yoku wakannai kedo, sore tabun daijoubu da yo.
I'm not totally sure, but that's probably fine.
よくわかんないけど、それたぶん大丈夫だよ。
yoku wakaranai desu kedo, tabun daijoubu da to omoimasu.
I'm not really sure, but I think it's probably fine.
よくわからないですけど、たぶん大丈夫だと思います。
Written よくわかんないけど · よくわからないですけどWho you say itHeard 7× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
watashi dattara ...
if it were me, I'd ...; if I were you, ...
Gives advice by saying what you'd do, which is softer than telling someone what to do.
Men often say ore dattara or boku dattara; the line usually ends in kana or to omou.
watashi dattara, sugu yamechau kana.
If it were me, I'd quit right away.
私だったら、すぐ辞めちゃうかな。
watashi dattara, mou ichido hanashite mimasu ne.
If it were me, I'd try talking to them once more.
私だったら、もう一度話してみますね。
Written 私だったら〜 · わたしだったら〜Who you say itHeard 129× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
kojinteki ni wa
personally; for me
Opens your own view and marks it as just your opinion; safe in any register.
kojinteki ni wa, mae no hou ga suki datta.
Personally, I liked the old one better.
個人的には、前の方が好きだった。
kojinteki ni wa, kono an ni sansei desu.
Personally, I'm in favour of this plan.
個人的には、この案に賛成です。
Written 個人的には · こじんてきにはWho you say itHeard 83× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
watashiteki ni wa
for me; as far as I'm concerned
A casual, youthful way to give your own view.
Don't confuse it with shiteki (private), written the same; in polite talk use kojinteki ni wa.
watashiteki ni wa, kore de zenzen ii yo.
As far as I'm concerned, this is totally fine.
私的には、これで全然いいよ。
Written 私的には · わたしてきにはWho you say it and hear itHeard 8× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
butchake
honestly; to be blunt; let's be real
Opens a frank admission among friends, often something people don't usually say out loud.
Avoid with bosses or customers; shoujiki (honestly) is the neutral word.
butchake, ano eiga tsumaranakatta yo ne.
Honestly, that film was boring, wasn't it?
ぶっちゃけ、あの映画つまらなかったよね。
Written ぶっちゃけWho you say it and hear itHeard 56× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles