JLPT N3EverydaySurprise, relief

かと思おもったI thought (wrongly) that…

For a moment you took something for one thing, and it turned out to be another. With something you feared, it is "I thought I was going to…", and you didn't.

a wrong impression

雨あめかと思おもったら、雪ゆきだった。

I thought it was rain, but it was snow.

a scare

ああ、びっくりした。死しぬかと思おもった。

Oh, that gave me a fright. I thought I was going to die.

How to form it

Plain form + かと思おもった

A noun or な-adjective goes straight on, with no だ: 休やすみかと思おもった, 簡かん単たんかと思おもった. Polite: かと思おもいました.

After it: Usually what it really was, after が or けど, or with かと思おもったら. Nothing more is needed when the truth is in front of you.
Said about: Your own impression.
Where you'll meet it: Everywhere: conversation, messages, stories.

In use

あの人ひとは店てん員いんかと思おもったが、実じつは店てん長ちょうだった。

I thought that person was a salesclerk, but they were actually the manager.

外そとは寒さむいかと思おもったが、日ひなたは暖あたたかかった。

I thought it would be cold outside, but it was warm in the sun.

予よ約やく日びは今日きょうかと思おもいましたが、明日あしたでした。

I thought the booking was for today, but it was for tomorrow.

あ、ごめん。誰だれもいないかと思おもった。

Oh, sorry. I thought there was nobody here.

Two things to know

The thought was wrong

Plain と思おもった only says what you thought. With か it was a passing impression, and nearly always a mistaken one.

今日きょうは休やすみだと思おもった。

I thought today was a day off.

What you thought. You may have been right.

今日きょうは休やすみかと思おもった。

I thought today was a day off.

It isn't, and you have just found out.

死しぬかと思おもった

With something you feared, you thought it was about to happen, and it didn't. 死しぬかと思おもった is what people say after any fright, a very hot curry or a hard run. Nobody takes it literally.

電でん車しゃに乗のり遅おくれるかと思おもったが、ぎりぎり間まに合あった。

I thought I was going to miss the train, but I just made it.

このカレー、辛からすぎて死しぬかと思おもった。

This curry was so hot I thought I was going to die.

急きゅうに名な前まえを呼よばれて、心しん臓ぞうが止とまるかと思おもった。

Someone suddenly called my name, and I thought my heart was going to stop.

Close neighbours

と思っていたN4

What you had believed for some time, not a passing impression.

まだいたんですか。もう帰かえったと思おもっていました。

You're still here? I thought you had gone home.

かと思うと・かと思ったらN2

After a verb, about someone or something else: one thing happens, and the next follows at once. Nobody was mistaken.

空そらが暗くらくなったかと思おもうと、急きゅうに雨あめが降ふり出だした。

No sooner had the sky gone dark than it suddenly started to rain.

（よ）うかと思ったN4

With 辞やめよう or 行いこう in front, it is something you thought of doing, not an impression.

仕し事ごとを辞やめようかと思おもったこともある。

There were times when I thought of quitting my job.

Check yourself

1What happened?

財さい布ふを落おとしたかと思おもった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

今日きょうは日にち曜よう日び（　　）と思おもったが、まだ土ど曜よう日びだった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

With a question word it is "I wondered", with no mistake in it.

誰だれかと思おもったら、山やま田ださんだった。

I wondered who it was, and it was Yamada.

More sentences

会かい議ぎは中ちゅう止しかと思おもったが、予よ定ていどおり始はじまった。

I thought the meeting was off, but it started on schedule.

この箱はこはもっと重おもいかと思おもったが、意い外がいに軽かるかった。

I thought this box would be heavier, but it was surprisingly light.

大おおきな音おとがしたので、窓まどが割われたかと思おもったが、無ぶ事じだった。

There was a loud noise, so I thought the window had broken, but it was fine.

階かい段だんで足あしを滑すべらせ、転ころぶかと思おもったが、手てすりにつかまって助たすかった。

I slipped on the stairs and thought I was going to fall, but I grabbed the handrail and was all right.