Use 考える when you reflect on a question or work out a plan.

The idea

考える is an ichidan verb. Drop る to make 考えます or 考えて. Mark a problem or plan with を; について introduces a topic of reflection. 考えています can describe thinking in progress.

Patterns to compare
Dictionary formPolite non-pastPolite negativePolite pastて form
考える考えます考えません考えました考えて

Examples

  • この問題もんだいをよく考かんがえます。I will think this problem over carefully.
  • 週末しゅうまつに旅行りょこうの計画けいかくを考かんがえました。I thought about the travel plan over the weekend.
  • 答こたえを考かんがえてから、書かいてください。Please think about the answer before writing it.
  • 今いま、新あたらしい方法ほうほうを考かんがえています。I am thinking of a new method now.
  • 将来しょうらいについて家族かぞくと考かんがえます。I will think about the future with my family.
  • 急いそがずに、もう一度いちど考かんがえましょう。Let’s think it over once more without rushing.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

考える emphasizes considering or working something out; 思う often expresses an opinion or feeling. The two can overlap, but they are not interchangeable in every context.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the polite non-past form: ＿。（考える→ます）

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    考えます

    考えます is the polite non-past: remove る and add ます.

  2. Write the て form: ＿。（考える→て）

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    考えて

    考えて is the て form: remove る and add て.

  3. Choose the particle in brackets: 問題もんだい＿考かんがえます。（を／に）

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    を

    を marks 問題 as the object being considered; に does not fit this sentence.

Use it today

Write a sentence about a plan using を, then change it to the polite past.