Part 4 · Actions and attitude · Lesson 42

Intending, trying and arranging: つもり, ようとする, ようにする

How to say what you plan, what you are about to do, what you tried and failed at, and what you make a point of doing. Short patterns that separate 'I will' from 'I'm trying to'.

About 4 minutes to read

つもり: plan

Dictionary form + つもり = "I intend to".

来年らいねんnext year日本にほんJapanに行いくgoつもりintendです

I plan to go to Japan next year.

もう行いかないwon't goつもりintendだ

I don't intend to go any more.

Past + つもり = "I thought I had" (actually I hadn't) or "I intended to" (but):

鍵かぎkeyを閉しめたlockedつもりthoughtだった

I thought I'd locked up.

行いくgoつもりintendedだったが行いけなかったcouldn't

I was going to go, but I couldn't.

予定: schedule

予定 is a fixed plan.

来週らいしゅうnext week出張しゅっちょうbusiness tripする予定よていplanです

I'm scheduled for a business trip next week.

つもり is your will; 予定 is your calendar.

ようと思う: thinking of

Volitional + と思う = "I'm thinking of".

来月らいげつnext month引ひっ越こそうmoveと思おもっているam thinking

I'm thinking of moving next month.

ようとする: about to; trying to

Volitional + とする has two uses:

Trying to do something (often failing):

ドアdoorを開あけようopenとしたtried toが開あかなかったwouldn't open

I tried to open the door, but it wouldn't.

Being about to do something:

家いえhomeを出でようleaveとしたwas about toときwhen電話でんわphoneが鳴なったrang

The phone rang just as I was about to leave.

For the plain "try" (just do and see), use てみる.

てみる: try it and see

食たべてeatみるtry

I'll try eating it.

着きてwearみてtryください

Please try wearing it.

Use てみる for experiments and ようとする for efforts at something hard.

ようにする: make an effort

Dictionary form + ようにする = "I try to / I make sure to".

野菜やさいvegetablesを食たべるeatようにしているmake a point

I try to eat vegetables.

Negative form + ようにする = "I try not to":

夜よるnightは食たべeatないようにしているtry not to

I try not to eat at night.

ことにしている: I've made it a rule

毎朝まいあさevery morning走はしるrunことにしているmake it a rule

I've made it a habit to run every morning.

Intention vs prediction

	Pattern	Who decides
行くつもりだ	intention	me
行く予定だ	schedule	me or someone
行くことにした	decision made	me
行くことになった	it was decided	others/circumstance
行こうと思う	thinking of	me, tentative
行こうとする	trying to	me, effort

Longer sentences

Plans, attempts and decisions build a narrative.

来年らいねんこそnext year, for sure日本にほんにJapan留学りゅうがくしようとstudy abroad (trying)思おもっているがI'm thinking, but費用ひようがcost高たかいのでsince it's high今いまはnowアルバイトをpart-time jobしてdoingお金かねをmoney貯ためるsaveことにしているhave made it a rule

I'm thinking of studying in Japan next year for sure, but since it's expensive I've decided to work part-time and save money for now.

彼かれをhim助たすけようとしたがI tried to help, but間まに合あわなかったdidn't make it次つぎからはfrom next time同おなじ失敗しっぱいをsame mistakeしないようにso as not to気きをつけるつもりだI intend to be careful

I tried to help him but didn't make it in time. From now on I intend to be careful not to repeat the same mistake.

A plan, in layers

来年らいねんのnext year's春はるにはin spring独立どくりつしようとgoing independent (volitional)思おもっているam thinkingがbut資金しきんがfundsまだstill足たりないのでsince not enoughそれまでにby thenできるだけas much as possible貯金ちょきんするsaveつもりだintend

失敗しっぱいするfailかもしれないというthat might不安ふあんはanxietyもちろんof courseあるがthere is butやってみないとunless I try分わからないしwon't know and後あとでlater後悔こうかいしたくないのでsince I don't want to regretやるとdo (quote)決きめたのだI decided

I'm thinking of going independent next spring, but since my funds aren't enough yet, I intend to save as much as I can by then. Of course I'm anxious that I might fail, but I won't know unless I try, and I don't want to regret it later, so I've decided to do it.

Key points

つもり: plan. 予定: schedule.
ようと思う: thinking of. ようとする: tried to / about to.
てみる: try and see.
ようにする: make an effort. ことにしている: make a habit.

Drill these patterns

Short example sentences for the points in this lesson: