Japanese with Manga
Learning through examples in manga

Suppressed presence with 〜た＋つもり

Grammar Explanation: Speaker's conviction with 〜た＋つもり

Manga panel from ご注文はうさぎですか？ showing example of Suppressed presence with 〜た＋つもり.
ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 14

While changing into her uniform, Rize hid in the closet when she sensed someone unfamiliar nearby. Cocoa, feeling as though she was being watched, opened the closet door.

ココア:
「下着(したぎ)姿(すがた)の…ドロボーさん？」
“A burglar… in their underwear?”
リゼ:
「完全(かんぜん)に気配(けはい)を殺(ころ)してたつもりなのに」
“I thought I completely suppressed my presence, and yet...”

Key Points

  1. 〜たつもり shows Rize’s belief about what she had done

    • In 気配(けはい)を殺(ころ)してたつもり, Rize means she thought she had successfully hidden her presence.

    • The pattern looks back on something the speaker believes was already true or already done.

  2. してた is casual していた

    • 殺(ころ)してた is the spoken contraction of 殺(ころ)していた.

  3. 気配(けはい)を殺(ころ)す means to suppress your presence

    • Here 殺(ころ)す is not literal killing. In this expression, it means to erase or suppress signs of oneself.

    • 完全(かんぜん)に strengthens the claim, so Rize thought she had hidden herself completely.

  4. なのに marks the failed expectation

    • なのに means “and yet” or “even though”, showing that the result does not match Rize’s expectation.

    • Cocoa opening the closet proves Rize’s confidence was wrong, which is why つもりなのに fits the scene.

See Also