と考えられる|とかんがえられる

JLPT N2approx.Written
Meaning
  1. 1Presents a widely held or evidence-based view as the objective conclusion: 'it is thought/believed that…'.Ex. 1
  2. 2Presents the writer's own reasoned inference in an impersonal, objective way: 'it can be considered that…'.Ex. 2
Formation
Verb (Plain form)+と考えられる
i-adj. (Plain form)+と考えられる
na-adj. (Stem)+だである+と考えられる
Noun+(だ/である)+と考えられるe.g. 原因であると考えられる, メリットがあると考えられる
Examples
Global warming is thought to be caused by human activity.
この計画けいかくは経済的けいざいてきに大おおきなメリットがあると考かんがえられる。
This plan is considered to have great economic benefits.
Usage

Mainly used in written and formal contexts such as reports, papers, and news, where the writer wants to sound objective and avoid stating a personal opinion directly. Compared with 思う or だろう, it sounds more detached and grounded in reasoning or evidence. In everyday conversation about personal matters, と思う is more natural.

Watch out

Note that 考えられる here is spontaneous/passive in nature ('it is thought'), not a potential meaning like 'I am able to think'.

Do not use it for casual personal opinions in conversation; と思う sounds more natural there.

Learners should remember that the thinker is usually left unstated, so the judgment is presented as general rather than personal.

Easily confused with
  • ものと思われるN1「ものと思われる」is also used for written inference and is interchangeable with 「と考えられる」 in most cases, but it is more tentative and less confident, and is often used to subtly suggest an evaluation. After nouns it usually takes 「である」, and after な-adjectives it takes 「な/である」.
  • とされるN1「とされる」reports the accepted view or an assumption, without emphasizing the reasoning process or expressing the speaker's own inference; it is basically interchangeable with 「と考えられている」. It can also mean something is officially designated as such, a meaning 「と考えられる」 lacks.
  • に違いないN3「に違いない」expresses the speaker's strong subjective conviction in an assertive tone, usable in both speech and writing; 「と考えられる」 is objective and restrained, downplaying personal color, and appears mostly in papers and reports. Their strength of tone differs, so they are generally not interchangeable.
  • はずだN4「はずだ」is a confident inference based on reasons or common sense, used in both speech and writing, and 「はずだった」 can express what was originally expected; 「と考えられる」 is more objective and restrained, and leans written. Nouns before 「はずだ」 take 「の」.
  • わけだN3「わけだ」draws the natural, logical conclusion from known premises, and can also mean 'no wonder'; its register is neutral. 「と考えられる」 is a cautious, hedged written inference with a softer tone, so the two are generally not interchangeable.
  • だろうN5「だろう」is close to 「と考えられる」 only in the sense of conjecture, but it is the speaker's subjective judgment and appears in both writing and speech; 「と考えられる」 stresses objective inference from facts and is mostly written. The rising-intonation use of 「だろう」 to seek confirmation cannot be replaced with it.

と考えられる presents a reasoned, objective judgment. ものと思われる is an even more cautious and formal conjecture; とされる reports a view held by others or an official position; に違いない expresses strong subjective conviction; はずだ expresses expectation based on logic or knowledge; わけだ draws a natural conclusion or explanation; and だろう is a more general, subjective guess.

Grammar · JLPT grammar levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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