The meat of a meeting, of course, is the discussion. Ideas are presented, tossed, and tasted before being given further consideration, or discarded. Expression of opinions, therefore, is inevitable. If you can remember a couple of phrases, you will be able to share your personal views on different matters, as well as present any facts you have acquired, without offending anyone or coming across as a waga mama (“self-centered”) Westerner.

In English, when you express an opinion, it is often unnecessary to say, “I think,” because it is assumed that you are expressing your own thoughts. In Japanese, however, adding the equivalent of “I think,” da to omoimasu, will soften your statements for the ears of your listeners.

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Using this expression when stating an opinion will lead to a more positive reception of your ideas.

Another way to express your knowledge without stepping on anyone's toes is with the phrase tonokoto desu. It is a polite way of saying soo da (“I hear that,” or “They say that”). When tonokoto desu is added to the end of a sentence, it's not necessary to make any changes to the rest of the sentence; just leave it the way it is:

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Notice how the verbs kawaru and suru are unaffected, so to speak, by desu. Using tonokoto desu is a good way to support personal opinion. When using the phrase, however, the source of the information is not usually given.