Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
Intended to…, was planning to…, thought that…
🎯 Primary Function
Expressing a past intention, plan, or belief that did not materialize or was incorrect, often contrasting the past intention/belief with the present reality.
📋 Grammar Structure
[Verb Plain Form] + つもりだった
[い-adjective] + つもりだった
[な-adjective] + な + つもりだった
[Noun] + の + つもりだった
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Can be used, often with more formal verb endings before つもりでした.
Informal Situations
Very common in everyday conversation.
Written Language
Used in informal writing, diaries, personal accounts.
Spoken Language
Extremely frequent in spoken Japanese.
💡 Common Applications
Explaining why you couldn’t do something as planned.
Used to state a past intention that was prevented by unforeseen circumstances or a change of mind.
Example: 映画を見に行くつもりだったけど、急に仕事が入った。
(Eiga o mi ni iku tsumori datta kedo, kyuu ni shigoto ga haitta.)
I was planning to go see a movie, but work suddenly came up.
Describing a past belief that turned out to be wrong.
Used to express what you thought was true in the past, but later found out was incorrect.
Example: この本は簡単なつもりだったのに、すごく難しかった。
(Kono hon wa kantan na tsumori datta noni, sugoku muzukashikatta.)
I thought this book was easy, but it was really difficult.
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Frequency
High frequency, especially in spoken Japanese.
Difficulty
N3
Example Sentences
電車で行くつもりだったけど、遅刻しそうだからタクシーに乗った。
I was planning to go by train, but I might be late, so I took a taxi.
今日は家でゆっくりするつもりだったのに、友達に誘われて出かけた。
I was planning to relax at home today, but my friend invited me out and I went.
あの店はもっと高いつもりだった。
I thought that store was more expensive.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Implies the plan/intention did not happen.
The use of だった makes it clear that the intention existed in the past but was not carried out. It is often followed by a phrase explaining why the plan failed or what actually happened.
Example: ケーキを作るつもりだったけど、卵がなかった。
(Keeki o tsukuru tsumori datta kedo, tamago ga nakatta.)
I was planning to make a cake, but I didn’t have eggs. (Implies the cake was not made).
Can express mistaken belief about a state or fact.
Besides plans, it can express what someone *believed* to be true in the past, which turned out to be false. Often used with state verbs or descriptions.
Example: 彼はすでに到着しているつもりだった。
(Kare wa sude ni touchaku shite iru tsumori datta.)
I thought he had already arrived. (But he hadn’t).
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using つもりだ for unfulfilled past plans.
✅ Use つもりだった.
つもりだ indicates a current intention or belief. つもりだった indicates a past intention or belief that is no longer current (usually because it didn’t happen or was wrong).
❌ Confusing it with simple past tense + verb.
✅ Understand the nuance of unfulfilled intention/mistaken belief.
Saying “図書館に行きました” (Toshokan ni ikimashita – I went to the library) states a completed action. Saying “図書館に行くつもりでした” (Toshokan ni iku tsumori deshita – I was planning to go to the library [but didn’t]) expresses an unfulfilled plan.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral to slightly informal, depending on the surrounding sentence structure (e.g., です/でした vs. だ/だった).
Social Situations: Used widely in casual conversation to explain why one didn’t do something or why a situation is different from what was expected.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese pattern.
🔍 Subtle Differences
つもりだった vs. ～はずだった
つもりだった expresses *one’s own* intention or belief. ～はずだった expresses that something *was expected* to happen based on circumstances or information, often implying surprise or disappointment that it didn’t.
When to use: Use つもりだった for your own past plans/beliefs. Use ～はずだった when something was supposed to happen according to a plan, schedule, or common sense, but didn’t.
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📝 Conjugation Notes
Connects to the plain form of verbs. Connects to N + の, い-adj, な-adj + な.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
つもりだった (tsu-mo-ri da-tta). Pay attention to the double consonant ‘tt’ which requires a short pause.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of つもり as “plan/intention/belief” and だった as “past”. So, “past plan/intention/belief that didn’t happen”.
Practice Exercises
私は今日、ジムに＿＿＿けど、雨が降っていたからやめた。(watashi wa kyou, jimu ni ____ kedo, ame ga futte ita kara yameta.) – I ____ to the gym today, but it was raining, so I stopped.
行くつもりです (iku tsumori desu)
行ったつもりです (itta tsumori desu)
行くつもりでした (iku tsumori deshita)
行くつもりがある (iku tsumori ga aru)
彼女は試験が＿＿＿つもりだったが、実際はもっと難しかった。(kanojo wa shiken ga ____ tsumori datta ga, jissai wa motto muzukashikatta.) – She thought the exam ____, but actually it was more difficult.
簡単だ (kantan da)
簡単な (kantan na)
簡単だった (kantan datta)
簡単でしょう (kantan deshou)
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