Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
‘Thinking of doing’ or ‘I intend to.’ Expresses a person’s intention or a decision that they are considering or have made.
🎯 Primary Function
To convey the speaker’s internal will or intention to perform an action.
📋 Grammar Structure
V-volitional form + と思う / と思っています
Not applicable (This pattern requires a verb in the volitional form).
Not applicable.
V-volitional + とは思わない / 思っていません (e.g., 行こうとは思わない)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Commonly used in interviews or meetings to state personal goals (using ~to omoimasu).
Informal Situations
Used with friends to discuss weekend plans or life changes (using ~to omou).
Written Language
Often found in journals, blogs, or essays when describing personal future goals.
Spoken Language
Very common in daily conversation for expressing what one wants to do.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing Future Plans
Used when you have a plan in mind but it might not be a 100% concrete schedule yet.
Example: 仕事を辞めようと思っています。(I’m thinking of quitting my job.)
Sudden Decisions
When used with ‘to omou’, it often signifies a decision made at the moment of speaking.
Example: 疲れたから、もう寝ようと思う。(I’m tired, so I think I’ll go to bed now.)
Continuing Intentions
Using ‘to omotte iru’ suggests the intention has been held for a period of time.
Example: ずっと日本に行こうと思っていました。(I have been thinking of going to Japan for a long time.)
Frequency
High. It is a fundamental way to express personal intent in Japanese.
Difficulty
JLPT N4 (Intermediate)
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Example Sentences
Example #1
今週の土曜日は、本屋に行こうと思います。
Furigana: こんしゅうのどようびは、ほんやにいこうとおもいます。
Romaji: Konshū no doyōbi wa, hon’ya ni ikō to omoimasu.
English: I am thinking of going to a bookstore this weekend.
Example #2
来年、日本に留学しようと思っています。
Furigana: らいねん、にほんにりゅうがくしようとおもっています。
Romaji: Rainen, Nihon ni ryūgaku shiyō to omotte imasu.
English: I’m thinking of studying abroad in Japan next year.
Example #3
新しい趣味を始めてみようと思います。
Furigana: あたらしいしゅみをはじめてみようとおもいます。
Romaji: Atarashii shumi o hajimete miyō to omoimasu.
English: I’m thinking of starting to learn a new hobby.
Example #4
パソコンが古いので、新しいのを買おうと思っています。
Furigana: パソコンがふるいので、あたらしいのをかおうとおもっています。
Romaji: Pasokon ga furui node, atarashii no o kaō to omotte imasu.
English: I think I’ll buy a new computer because my current one is old.
Example #5
会社を辞めて、自分のビジネスを始めようと思います。
Furigana: かいしゃをやめて、じぶんのビジネスを始めようと思います。
Romaji: Kaisha o yamete, jibun no bijinesu o hajimeyō to omoimasu.
English: I’m thinking of quitting my job and starting my own business.
Example #6
明日は休みなので、部屋を掃除しようと思います。
Furigana: あしたはやすみなので、へやをそうじしようとおもいます。
Romaji: Ashita wa yasumi nanode, heya o sōji shiyō to omoimasu.
English: I’m thinking of cleaning my room tomorrow since it’s a day off.
Example #7
今晩は家族に美味しい料理を作ってあげようと思っています。
Furigana: こんばんはかぞくにおいしいりょうりをつくってあげようとおもっています。
Romaji: Konban wa kazoku ni oishii ryōri o tsukutte ageyō to omotte imasu.
English: I’m thinking of making a delicious meal for my family tonight.
Example #8
地元の友達に、手紙を書こうと思います。
Furigana: じもとのともだちに、てがみをかこうとおもいます。
Romaji: Jimoto no tomodachi ni, tegami o kakō to omoimasu.
English: I’m thinking of writing a letter to my friend in my hometown.
Example #9
疲れているので、今晩は早く寝ようと思います。
Furigana: つかれているので、こんばんははやくねようとおもいます。
Romaji: Tsukarete iru node, konban wa hayaku neyō to omoimasu.
English: I’m thinking of going to bed early tonight because I’m tired.
Example #10
健康のために、毎日運動しようと思っています。.
Furigana: けんこうのために、まいにちうんどうしようとおもっています。
Romaji: Kenkō no tame ni, mainichi undō shiyō to omotte imasu.
English: I think I will try to exercise every day for my health.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Timing of the decision.
‘~to omou’ (present tense) implies the decision was likely made just now or is a current thought.
Example: 今、決めた。明日行こうと思う。
Continuity of thought.
‘~to omotte iru’ (continuous) implies you have been thinking about it for a while.
Example: 前から買おうと思っていました。
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 大学に行くと思う。 (Meaning: I think [someone] will go to university.)
✅ 大学に行こうと思います。
You must use the Volitional form, not the dictionary form.
❌ 田中さんは留学しようと思う。
✅ 田中さんは留学しようと思っています。
When speaking about someone else’s intention, you must use ‘omotte iru’ (seems to be thinking) rather than ‘omou’ (I think).
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral to Polite. ‘To omou’ is casual, ‘To omoimasu’ is polite.
Social Situations: It sounds less forceful than ‘tsumori’, making it a softer way to share your intentions without sounding too demanding or stubborn.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.
🔍 Subtle Differences
~ようと思う vs. ~つもり
‘Tsumori’ expresses a stronger, more definite plan, whereas ‘you to omou’ is more of an intention or internal thought.
When to use: Use ‘tsumori’ for firm resolutions and ‘you to omou’ for general intentions.
~ようと思う vs. ~たい
‘~tai’ expresses a simple desire (I want to), while ‘~you to omou’ includes a level of planning/intent (I think I will).
When to use: Use ‘tai’ for feelings and ‘you to omou’ for actions you are actually considering doing.
📝 Conjugation Notes
Group 1: change -u to -o and add -u (Iku -> Ikō). Group 2: change -ru to -yō (Taberu -> Tabeyō). Group 3: Suru -> Shiyō, Kuru -> Koyō.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Ensure the long ‘o’ sound in the volitional form (e.g., ‘ikō’) is clearly held for two beats.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of the volitional form as the ‘Let’s’ form. So, ‘Let’s do [action]’ + ‘I think’ = ‘I think I’ll do [action]’.
Other Grammar
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