B1 Expression Neutre

～つもりです

~tsumori desu

I intend to do ~

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use ～つもりです to express your personal intention or plan for the future.

  • Means: Indicates a firm personal intention or a planned action.
  • Used in: Discussing weekend plans, career goals, or daily errands.
  • Don't confuse: It is for personal intent, not for predicting others' actions.
Verb (dictionary form) + つもりです = Clear personal plan

Explanation at your level:

This phrase helps you talk about your plans. You use it after a verb to say what you will do. For example, 'I plan to eat sushi'. It is very useful for daily life.
At this level, you learn to use 'tsumori desu' to express intentions. It is more personal than saying 'I will'. It shows you have thought about your action. You can use it with negative verbs to say what you don't plan to do.
B1 learners use this to navigate social interactions. It is essential for coordinating plans with friends or colleagues. You can now distinguish between 'tsumori' (personal intent) and 'yotei' (scheduled event), allowing for more precise communication in professional and social contexts.
At the B2 level, you understand the nuance of 'tsumori' as a subjective marker. You can use it to express past intentions that were not realized ('tsumori deshita') or to describe a state of mind where one acts under a certain assumption, adding depth to your narrative skills.
C1 mastery involves using 'tsumori' to convey subtle shifts in perspective. You can employ it to frame actions as personal resolutions, even in formal settings, by adjusting the surrounding honorifics. It becomes a tool for expressing agency within the constraints of Japanese social hierarchy.
At the C2 level, you analyze 'tsumori' as a cognitive linguistic marker of intent. You recognize how it functions as a buffer in communication, allowing speakers to assert their will while maintaining the 'wa' (harmony). You can manipulate it in complex, multi-clause sentences to contrast internal intent with external reality.

Signification

Expressing one's intention or plan.

🌍

Contexte culturel

It is considered polite to state your intentions clearly to avoid ambiguity.

💡

Dictionary Form

Always use the dictionary form of the verb.

Signification

Expressing one's intention or plan.

💡

Dictionary Form

Always use the dictionary form of the verb.

Teste-toi

Complete the sentence: 明日、買い物に＿＿＿つもりです。

行く

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 行く

Always use the dictionary form before つもり.

🎉 Score : /1

Aides visuelles

Questions fréquentes

1 questions

No, it is for your own intent.

Expressions liées

🔄

予定です

synonym

It is scheduled.

Où l'utiliser

📅

Weekend Plans

A: 週末は何をするつもりですか？

B: 友達と買い物に行くつもりです。

neutral
💼

Work Meeting

Boss: このプロジェクトはどうしますか？

Employee: 来週までに終わらせるつもりです。

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Tsumori' as 'Two-more-reasons' to do something—you have your reasons, so you plan to do it!

Visual Association

Imagine a person standing at a crossroads with a map in their head, pointing in a direction. That mental map is their 'tsumori'.

Rhyme

To do what I plan, I use tsumori-san.

Story

Kenji decided to learn Japanese. He told his friends, 'I intend to study every day.' He used 'tsumori desu' to show his resolve. Even when he was tired, he remembered his 'tsumori' and opened his book.

Word Web

予定 (yotei)決める (kimeru)意志 (ishi)つもり (tsumori)考え (kangae)計画 (keikaku)

Défi

Write down 3 things you plan to do this weekend using this phrase.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Tengo la intención de

Japanese is more compact.

French high

J'ai l'intention de

French requires a preposition.

German moderate

Ich habe vor

Grammatical structure differs.

Japanese n/a

～つもりです

N/A

Arabic high

أنوي أن

Arabic uses a verb, Japanese uses a noun-based marker.

Chinese moderate

打算

Chinese is more action-oriented.

Korean high

～ㄹ 생각이다

Korean uses a thought-based structure.

Portuguese high

Pretendo

Portuguese is more concise.

Easily Confused

～つもりです vs 予定 (yotei)

Learners mix up personal intent vs schedule.

Use tsumori for you, yotei for the calendar.

FAQ (1)

No, it is for your own intent.

C'tait utile ?

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