Can the と particle be used to express a person's thoughts other than your own?


I know that the と particle can be used to express your own thoughts, such as
in:

> 難しい質問だと思う。- I think that it's a difficult question.

But on this phrase, it's actually a question to a different person,

> トムとジョンって似てると思わない？ - Don't you think Tom and John look alike?

Is the と particle being used the same way in both cases?




You may have gotten this doubt from your textbook’s explanation on whether to
use 思う or 思っている based on who you are talking about. While that distinction is
legitimate, と is common in all cases.

By the way, it is perfectly fine to ask what someone thinks using 思う, or its
negative form 思わない, if you are directly asking that person as in your second
example.




You may have gotten this doubt from your textbook’s explanation on whether to
use 思う or 思っている based on who you are talking about. While that distinction is
legitimate, と is common in all cases.

By the way, it is perfectly fine to ask what someone thinks using 思う, or its
negative form 思わない, if you are directly asking that person as in your second
example.

