Both of these sentences mean "I plan to go to Japan next month":
A. 来月日本に行くつもりだ。 B. 来月日本に行こうと思っている。
Both translate to "I plan to go to Japan next month," but the nuance is different.
つもり: A Decided Plan
つもり indicates the speaker has already made a decision — the plan is fairly firm. Think of it as something written on a calendar.
Conjugation
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Verb dictionary form + つもりだ | 行くつもりだ |
| Verb ない-form + つもりだ | 行かないつもりだ |
Examples
-
来月日本に行くつもりです。 → I plan to go to Japan next month. (Already decided)
-
どのぐらい日本にいるつもりですか？ → How long do you plan to stay in Japan?
-
卒業したら就職するつもりです。 → I plan to get a job after graduating. (Clear plan in place)
-
お酒はもう飲まないつもりだ。 → I plan to stop drinking. (A firm decision)
つもり's nuance = the plan is set, my mind is made up.
ようと思う: A Thought in Your Head
ようと思う expresses that the speaker has an idea or intention in mind, but it's not quite set in stone.
Conjugation
Verb volitional form + と思う / と思っている
| Verb | Volitional Form | Full Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 行く | 行こう | 行こうと思う |
| 食べる | 食べよう | 食べようと思っている |
| する | しよう | しようと思う |
と思う vs と思っている
There's a subtle difference between these two as well:
| と思う | と思っている | |
|---|---|---|
| Nuance | Just decided, stating it now | Been thinking about it for a while |
| Example | Just decided! 行こうと思う | Been planning: 行こうと思っている |
Examples
-
論文が完成してから旅行に行こうと思っています。 → I'm thinking of going on a trip after finishing my thesis. (Ongoing thought)
-
今日は早く寝ようと思う。 → I think I'll go to bed early today. (Just decided)
-
来年転職しようと思っている。 → I've been thinking about changing jobs next year.
ようと思う's nuance = I have this idea in my head, but nothing's finalized.
つもり vs ようと思う: How to Choose?
| つもり | ようと思う | |
|---|---|---|
| Certainty | High — already decided | Medium — thinking about it |
| Nuance | A calendar entry | A thought in your head |
| Chance of changing | Low | Relatively high |
| Conjugation | Verb dictionary form + つもりだ | Volitional form + と思う/と思っている |
Real-World Scenarios
An interviewer asks about your future plans:
卒業したら大学院に行くつもりです。 ← A firm plan, sounds reliable
Chatting casually with a friend:
今年中に引っ越そうと思ってるんだ。 ← Just an idea, feels natural
Another Companion: 予定
When a plan is extremely firm (tickets bought, dates set), Japanese tends to use 予定:
- 来週の月曜日に出発する予定です。 → I'm scheduled to depart next Monday.
Certainty ranking: 予定 > つもり > ようと思っている > ようと思う
ようとする: The Moment Right Before
Here's a similar-looking pattern with a completely different meaning — ようとする means "about to do something" (the moment right before):
-
レポートを印刷しようとしたとき、データが消えてしまいました。 → Just as I was about to print the report, the data disappeared.
-
出かけようとした時、雨が降ってきた。 → Just as I was about to leave, it started raining.
ようとする = about to do (but haven't done it yet) — not the same as "planning to."
Self-Test
Q1. In a job interview, you say "I plan to become a teacher after graduation." Which is more appropriate?
Show answer
つもり. In an interview, you want to project "I've already decided": 「卒業したら教師になるつもりです。」
Q2. 「今年こそダイエット＿＿。」(This year I'm definitely going to diet — just decided)
Show answer
しようと思う. A freshly made decision uses 「と思う」: 「今年こそダイエットしようと思う。」 If you'd been thinking about it for a while, use 「と思っている」.
Q3. 「ドアを開け＿＿とき、猫が飛び出した。」(Just as I was about to open the door, the cat jumped out)
Show answer
ようとした. This is the past tense of 「ようとする」 — the moment right before doing something.
Summary
- つもり = a decided plan (high certainty)
- ようと思う = a freshly made decision / ようと思っている = an ongoing intention
- Certainty ranking: 予定 > つもり > ようと思っている
- ようとする = about to do (describes the moment, not a plan)