Thinking it cost more with 〜気がする
Grammar Explanation: Thinking or feeling something with 〜気がする
As thanks for Naho making him lunches, Kakeru gives her a jewel-encrusted hair clip. In her room later, Naho looks over the piece.
- 菜穂:
- 「絶対お弁当代より高い気がする」
- “I think it definitely cost more than lunch.”
- Literal: “I feel like it's definitely more expensive than the lunch cost.”
Key Points
1〜気がする = I feel
- In this pattern, 気 is not “spirit” in a literal sense; the whole phrase expresses a personal impression.
2より makes a comparison
- The comparison is より 高い = “more expensive than”.
3絶対 adds strong confidence, even with a subjective phrase
- 気がする is still an impression, not hard proof.
- But starting with 絶対 makes her sound very convinced of that impression.
4Why this is softer than a direct statement
- Saying 高い alone would sound more definite.
- 「高い気がする」 leaves a little room for uncertainty.
Vocabulary
絶対 (Absolute)
絶対 means absolute or unconditional. As an adverb, it means definitely or under no circumstances, depending on the sentence.
弁当代 (Lunch money)
弁当代 means lunch money or the price of a boxed meal.
See Also
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