“〜to wa omoenai・〜to wa kangaerarenai”: Hard to Believe [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「素人の作品とは思えない」 — “I just can't believe 〜” — often, in fact, high praise.

「とても本物とは思えない」 — no matter how you look at it, it doesn't seem so

Seeing an unbelievably fine replica, you can't help saying “this doesn't look real at all” — 「この出来栄えは、とても素人の作品とは思えない (this finish, I can't for the life of me think it's an amateur's work).」 「〜とは思えない／〜とは考えられない」 = (no matter how you think) it doesn't seem ～, it's hard to think ～. It's the speaker's strong negative evaluation of something. This guide clarifies its core of “no matter how you think, it doesn't…,” distinguishing 「とは考えられない,」 separating it from 「信じがたい.」

Core: (no matter how you think) it doesn't seem ～, hard to think ～ (a strong negative evaluation)

「plain form ＋ とは思えない／とは考えられない」 means “(no matter how you think) it doesn't seem ～, it's hard to think it's ～, one can't believe ～” — the speaker's strong disagreement, disbelief about something:

• あの真面目な彼が、嘘をつくとは思えない (that earnest him, I can't think he'd lie).
• この惨状を見ると、事故が偶然だったとは考えられない (seeing this devastation, one can't think the accident was chance).
• 彼女の実力なら、この程度で満足するとは思えない (with her ability, I can't think she'd settle for this level).

Feel: the core is “(however you think,) it doesn't seem ～, hard to think ～” — with the speaker's strong negative judgment, disagreement, or disbelief. It often pairs with 「とても／到底〜とは思えない」 (can't for the life of me think ～): とても偶然とは思えない (I can't for the life of me think it's chance). In English: “it doesn't seem ～, hard to think ～, (however you look at it) doesn't seem ～.”

Attachment & forms

Examples in context

• この安さは、とても本物とは思えない。(This cheapness — I can't for the life of me think it's real.)
• 彼の実績を考えると、失敗するとは思えない。(Considering his track record, I can't think he'd fail.)
• あれだけ準備したのに、負けるとは考えられない。(Having prepared that much, one can't imagine losing.)
• 子供にこんな計画が立てられるとは思えない。(I can't think a child could devise a plan like this.)
• 状況からして、単なる事故だったとは考えられない。(Given the circumstances, one can't think it was a mere accident.)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① The core is the strong negative evaluation ‘(however you think) it doesn't seem ～,' not a plain ‘don't think.' This is 「とは思えない」's core feel. It's not just a neutral “don't think ～,” but carries the speaker's strong negative judgment, disagreement, or disbelief — “however you think, it doesn't seem ～, hard to think ～”: とても偶然とは思えない (I can't for the life of me think it's chance — strongly denying “it's chance”), あの人が裏切るとは思えない (I really can't think that person would betray — strongly disbelieving). It often carries the weight of “I'd never believe it／however I think, something's off.” Test: to strongly express “(however you think) it doesn't seem ～, hard to think ～” → とは思えない／とは考えられない.

② Often pairs with 「とても／到底〜とは思えない」 (can't for the life of me think). In collocation, 「とは思えない」 very often pairs with 「とても」「到底（とうてい）」 to strengthen the negation: とても〜とは思えない (can't for the life of me think ～), 到底〜とは思えない (can't at all think ～): この味は、とてもプロの料理とは思えない (this taste, I can't for the life of me think it's a pro's cooking). Here 「とても」 isn't “very” but, with a negative, means “can't at all, no matter what.” Test: 「とても ＋ とは思えない」 = can't for the life of me think ～ (とても here = “can't at all”).

③ 「とは思えない」 (subjective feeling)／「とは考えられない」 (rational judgment) — a distinction. They're close, the subtle difference in basis. 「〜とは思えない」 = (however you think) it doesn't seem ～ (leaning subjective feeling, impression): あの人が犯人だとは思えない (I can't think that person is the culprit — leaning subjective feeling, intuitively not thinking so). It leans subjective feeling, impression. 「〜とは考えられない」 = hard to think ～, can't imagine ～ (leaning rational, logical judgment): 証拠から見て、彼が無関係だとは考えられない (from the evidence, one can't think he's unrelated — logically can't be inferred). It leans rational, logical judgment (inferring from facts, evidence). Difference: 「とは思えない」 leans subjective feeling (intuitively don't think so); 「とは考えられない」 leans rational judgment (logically can't think so, inferring from facts). Test: by feeling, impression not thinking so → とは思えない; by reason, logic, facts can't think so → とは考えられない. (They often interchange, differing in emphasis.)

④ Separate it from 「信じがたい」 — とは思えない is the negative judgment ‘doesn't seem ～,' 信じがたい is ‘hard to believe.' Both express “hard to believe,” but from different angles. 「〜とは思えない」 = (however you think) it doesn't seem ～ (a negative judgment about some content): 彼が嘘をつくとは思えない (I can't think he'd lie — denying the judgment “he'd lie”). It's the negative judgment “don't think (it's) ～.” 「〜がたい（信じがたい）」 = hard to ～ (psychologically hard to do, see 〈がたい〉): その話は信じがたい (that story is hard to believe — psychologically hard to believe). It's “(psychologically) hard to believe／do,” see 〈がたい〉. Difference: 「とは思えない」 = (however you think) it doesn't seem ～ (denying a judgment); 「信じがたい」 = hard to believe (psychologically hard to do, see 〈がたい〉). Test: to deny a judgment “doesn't seem ～, hard to think ～” → とは思えない; to express “(psychologically) hard to believe” → 信じがたい.

🔄 Compare: とは思えない／とは考えられない／信じがたい／はずがない

💡 Quick takeaway

「〜とは思えない／〜とは考えられない」 = (however you think) it doesn't seem ～, hard to think ～ — three points: ① the core is the strong negative evaluation “(however you think) it doesn't seem ～” (not a neutral “don't think,” with the weight of disagreement, disbelief); ② often pairs with 「とても／到底〜とは思えない」 (can't for the life of me think); ③「とは思えない」 leans subjective feeling, 「とは考えられない」 leans rational judgment; separate them from 「信じがたい (psychologically hard to believe, see 〈がたい〉)」. This pattern well expresses that strong doubt “I'd never believe it, however I think something's off” — 「とても偶然とは思えない」「あの人が裏切るとは思えない」 render, forcefully, the speaker's firm negative judgment. To strongly deny “it doesn't seem ～, hard to think ～,” these two are spot-on.

❓ FAQ

Q: What's the difference between 「とは思えない」 and 「とは考えられない」?

They're close (both “hard to think ～, don't think ～”), the subtle difference in ‘whether the basis is subjective feeling or rational logic.' 「〜とは思えない」 = (however you think) it doesn't seem ～ (leaning subjective feeling, impression, intuition): it leans subjective feeling, impression — by intuition, impression “I just don't think it's ～”: あの優しい人が、そんなひどいことをするとは思えない (that kind person, I can't think would do something so cruel — disbelieving by impression, intuition), この味は、素人が作ったとは思えない (this taste, I can't think an amateur made it — by the taste). It's more subjective, intuitive. 「〜とは考えられない」 = hard to think ～, can't imagine ～ (leaning rational, logical judgment): it leans rational, logical inference — by facts, evidence, reason “(logically) one can't think it's ～”: これだけの証拠がありながら、無罪だとは考えられない (with this much evidence, one can't think it's innocent — logically can't be inferred), あの状況で助かったとは考えられない (in that situation, one can't imagine surviving — logically impossible). It's more rational, objective. Difference: 「とは思えない」 leans subjective feeling, intuition (just don't think so); 「とは考えられない」 leans rational, logical judgment (inferring from facts, can't think so). Test: by feeling, impression, intuition not thinking so → とは思えない; by reason, logic, facts can't think so → とは考えられない. They interchange in many cases, but 「とは思えない」 is more intuitive, everyday, 「とは考えられない」 more rational, formal (often for inference from evidence, facts).

Q: In 「とても本物とは思えない,」 does 「とても」 mean “very”?

Not “very” — here 「とても」 with a negative means “can't at all ～, no matter what.” 「とても」 has two uses: ①「とても ＋ affirmative」 = very, quite: とてもおいしい (very tasty), とてもうれしい (very happy) — 「とても」's commonest use (high degree). ②「とても ＋ negative」 = can't at all ～, no matter what: とても〜ない, とても〜とは思えない, とてもできない — here 「とても」 isn't “very” but, with a negative, means “can't at all, no matter what (can't reach／manage).” So 「とても本物とは思えない」 = “I can't for the life of me think it's real, no matter what it doesn't look real” (not “very much don't think”): この量は、一人ではとても食べきれない (this amount, one person can't possibly finish it — とても ＋ negative), とても信じられない (I can't at all believe it). Test: 「とても」 ＋ affirmative → very (とてもおいしい); 「とても」 ＋ negative (ない／とは思えない／できない) → can't at all ～, no matter what. So 「とても〜とは思えない」 = can't for the life of me think ～, the 「とても」 here being “can't at all,” not “very.” This is 「とても」's special use with a negative — don't misread it as “very.”

🖊️ Practice Quiz

Q1. 「あの優しい人が、そんなひどいことをする___。」(I can hardly believe …)

(A) とは思えない　(B) に違いない　(C) おそれがある　(D) に決まっている

Q2. What does 「素人の作品とは思えない」 mean?

(A) it doesn't seem like an amateur's work (it's impressive)

(B) it must be an amateur's work

(C) it's a terrible work

(D) there's no work

Q3. What does 「とは考えられない」 mean?

(A) unimaginable / hard to believe

(B) it must be so

(C) often think

(D) can imagine

Q4. What's the difference between 「とは思えない」 and 「とは限らない」?

(A) とは思えない = hard to believe (a negative view); とは限らない = not necessarily

(B) exactly the same

(C) とは思えない = not necessarily

(D) とは限らない = hard to believe

Q5. Which connection is correct?

(A) 本当だとは思えない。

(B) 本当とは思えない。

(C) 本当だとは思えないを。

(D) 本当とは思えるない。

Answer Key

1. (A) とは思えない ── I can hardly believe (he'd do that).

2. (A) ── it doesn't seem like an amateur's work (it's impressive).

3. (A) ── unimaginable / hard to believe.

4. (A) ── とは思えない = hard to believe (a negative view); とは限らない = not necessarily.

5. (A) 本当だとは思えない ── a noun ＋ だ ＋ とは思えない: 本当だとは思えない (correct).