GrammarJLPT N5
きがする
→ to feel (as if)
To Have a Feeling (That) / To Feel Like
JLPT N5Fixed phraseNeutral
気がする is a fixed expression meaning "to have a feeling that" or "to feel as if." It is used to express a vague, intuitive impression or hunch rather than a logically reasoned conclusion. The speaker is not stating something as fact but rather conveying a subjective sense or gut feeling. It commonly follows a plain-form clause (often with the quotation-like particle が connecting the preceding clause to 気), as in 「〜気がする」. It can also express the feeling of wanting to do something in the pattern 「Verb（たい form）＋気がする」, though this nuance is less common. Compared to と思う, which conveys a conscious opinion or thought, 気がする expresses something more instinctive and less certain — a nagging feeling or subtle impression. Compared to ようだ or みたいだ, which indicate judgments based on observable evidence, 気がする relies more on the speaker's internal, subjective sensation. The expression is neutral in register and is widely used in both spoken and written Japanese.
Functions
#1 Expressing a vague feeling or hunch
Structure
Plain-form clause + 気がする
どこかで あの人に 会った気がする。
Here 気がする expresses a vague, uncertain impression — the speaker is not sure they met the person, but they have an intuitive sense that it happened. The plain past form 会った precedes 気がする directly, forming the pattern 「〜た＋気がする」. This is the most common use of the expression: conveying a hunch or gut feeling about something without committing to it as a definite statement.I have a feeling I've met that person somewhere.
Structures
- Plain-form clause
- Verb (plain form) + 気がする
- い-Adjective clause
- い-Adjective (plain form) + 気がする
- な-Adjective / Noun clause
- な-Adjective (な) / Noun (の/だった etc.) + 気がする
Common mistakes
A common error is confusing 気がする with 気にする (to worry about / to mind), which has a completely different meaning. Another frequent mistake is using 気がする for things the speaker is confident about; this expression is specifically for vague, uncertain impressions, so it sounds unnatural when used for definite facts or strong opinions — in such cases, と思う is more appropriate. Learners also sometimes incorrectly use the polite ます-form before 気がする (e.g., ×「行きます気がする」), but the clause preceding 気がする must always be in plain form. Finally, some learners drop the particle が and say ×「気する」, but the full expression 気がする requires が.
Related
ような気がすると思うみたいだようだ感じがするたい