immersionlog
Sign inCreate account

てっきり

I was sure (but I was wrong)

てっきり + 〜と思っていた / 〜と思った

Sign up free to review this point on a spaced schedule.

てっきり means "I was convinced that…", and it almost always comes before a mistaken belief: てっきり晴れると思っていたのに、雨だった, "I was sure it would be sunny, but it rained".

The ending is nearly always と思っていた or と思った, followed by the reality that proved you wrong. Often のに, が or けど introduce the correction, or it's simply left unsaid.

That's the key difference from きっと. きっと is a confident guess about something that hasn't happened yet: 明日はきっと晴れる. てっきり looks back at a belief that turned out false.

It's a conversational word, perfect for describing surprises and misunderstandings.

Examples

  • てっきり晴はれると思おもっていたのに、雨あめだった。

    I was sure it would be sunny, but it rained.

  • てっきり彼かれが犯人はんにんだと思おもっていた。

    I was convinced he was the culprit.

  • てっきり休やすみだと思おもっていたら、店みせは開あいていた。

    I was sure it was closed, but the shop was open.

  • 静しずかだったので、てっきり誰だれもいないと思おもった。

    It was so quiet I assumed no one was there.

  • てっきり怒おこられると思おもったが、褒ほめられた。

    I was sure I'd be told off, but I was praised.