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← All Lessons 26–50

Minna no Nihongo - Lesson 31

Complete Grammar Lesson

Learn the Japanese volitional form, how to express intentions and plans, how to use ～つもりです and ～予定です, and how to say “not yet” with まだ～ていません.

Main idea of Lesson 31: this lesson is about what you intend, plan, decide, or have not done yet. The most important distinction is between ～ようと思っています, ～つもりです, and ～予定です.

Lesson 31 at a glance

1. Volitional form

A casual “let's…” form and the base used for expressing intention.

2. ～と思っています

Express an intention or plan you have been thinking about.

3. ～つもりです

State a fairly clear personal intention.

4. ～予定です

State a plan or schedule that is already arranged.

1. Volitional form — 意向形

The volitional form is used for casual suggestions such as “let's go,” and it also appears in patterns for expressing your intention.

Easy way to think about it: polite ～ましょう and plain volitional forms often express the same basic idea.
→ polite “Let's go.”
→ casual “Let's go.”

Group 1 verbs

For Group 1 verbs, change the final う-row sound into the matching お-row sound + う.

う-row → お-row + う
ます-form Dictionary Volitional Meaning
let's walk / I think I'll walk
let's hurry
let's rest
let's play
let's ride / get on
let's buy
let's fix
A useful sound chart is: く→こう, ぐ→ごう, む→もう, ぶ→ぼう, る→ろう, う→おう, す→そう.

Group 2 verbs

Remove ます and add よう.

Verb stem + よう
ます-form Volitional Meaning
let's eat
let's change it
let's look / watch

Group 3 verbs

Verb Volitional
Important: becomes , not “きよう.”

2. Using the volitional form

Use 1 — Casual “Let's…”

The plain volitional can replace ～ましょう in casual conversation.

Tsukareta kara, chotto kyūkei shiyō.

I'm tired, so let's take a short break.

Yoku mienai kara, mae no hō ni suwarō.

We can't see very well, so let's sit toward the front.

= polite
= casual

Use 2 — ～ようか: casual offer or suggestion

Adding か can make a casual offer such as “Shall I…?” or “Shall we…?”

Omoi desu yo. Tetsudaō ka.

That's heavy. Shall I help?

Shall we buy this?

This is the casual counterpart of expressions such as

3. Volitional + と思っています — “I am thinking of / I intend to…”

Volitional form + と 思おもっています

This pattern expresses an intention or plan that has been in the speaker's mind. It often means: “I am thinking of doing…”, “I plan to…”, or “I intend to…”.

Important nuance: ～と思っています normally sounds like an intention you already had before the exact moment of speaking. It is not necessarily a fixed official schedule, but it is more than a completely spontaneous thought.

Kodomo ga daigaku o sotsugyō shite kara, shujin to ryokō e ikō to omotte imasu.

I'm thinking of traveling with my husband after our child graduates from university.

I'm thinking of taking a Japanese exam next year.

I'm planning to clean my room this weekend.

～と思います vs ～と思っています

Pattern Typical feeling Example
Volitional + と思います A decision or intention stated now
Volitional + と思っています An intention already held in mind
If someone asks, “What are you going to do for dinner?” and you decide while answering, 食べようと思います can sound natural. If you have already been planning something for some time, ～ようと思っています is often more natural.

4. ～つもりです — “I intend to / I plan to”

Dictionary form + つもりです
ない-form + つもりです

つもりです expresses a fairly definite personal intention.

Think of it as: “This is what I currently intend to do.” It is personal intention, not necessarily an officially arranged schedule.

I intend to finish through Lesson 50 by the end of June.

I intend to marry her.

I don't intend to take a summer vacation.

Negative intention: two useful patterns

I intend not to return to my country.

I have no intention of returning to my country.

Vないつもりです = I intend not to do it.
Vるつもりはありません = I have no intention of doing it.

The second can sound more explicit or stronger because it directly denies having that intention.
Common mistake: use the dictionary form or ない-form before つもりです. Do not use the ます-form directly.
❌
✅

5. ～予定です — “is scheduled / is planned”

Verb dictionary form + 予定よていです
Noun + の + 予定よていです

予定です describes a plan or schedule. It is especially natural when the time, event, arrangement, or schedule has already been decided.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 1:00.

About 50 guests are expected to come to the wedding.

The trip is planned for three weeks.

The business trip is scheduled for seven days.

予定 is more schedule-like than つもり. If you say , you are talking about the event schedule, not someone's personal determination.

6. まだ Vていません — “have not done it yet”

まだ + Verb-て + いません

This pattern means that an expected action has not happened up to the present time. English usually translates it as “not yet.”

Have you read this book already?

No, I haven't read it yet.

I haven't eaten yet.

I haven't eaten yet, so would you like to eat together?

まだ～ています vs まだ～ていません

Pattern Meaning Example
まだVています still doing
まだVていません have not done yet
もうVました already did

7. ～と思っています vs ～つもりです vs ～予定です

These all talk about the future, but they do not express exactly the same kind of future.

Pattern Main feeling Strength / status
V-volitional + と思っています I am thinking of doing it. Intention in your mind; may still be somewhat flexible.
V-dictionary / ない + つもりです I intend to do / not do it. Clearer personal determination.
V-dictionary / Nの + 予定です It is planned / scheduled. Arrangement, schedule, or established plan.

I am thinking of going to Japan next year.

I intend to go to Japan next year.

I am scheduled / planning to go to Japan next year.

A useful progression is: idea/intention → personal determination → arranged schedule. Real Japanese is flexible, but this is a very useful beginner framework.

8. Real-life mini conversations

Making a plan

A: What are you going to do during summer vacation?

B: I'm thinking of going to Hokkaido.

A firm personal intention

A: Will you work at this company next year too?

B: Yes. I still intend to work here.

An arranged schedule

A: What time is the meeting?

B: It is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

Not done yet

A: Have you finished your homework already?

B: No, I haven't finished it yet.

9. Useful review: この・その・それ

These demonstratives may appear frequently in examples, so it is useful to keep the difference clear.

Form Use Example
この + N this + noun
その + N that + noun
それ that thing / that idea

I found a good job. This job has a high salary.

10. Common mistakes

Mistake 1: using ます-form before つもりです
❌
✅
Mistake 2: using volitional form directly before つもりです
❌
✅
Mistake 3: forgetting の before 予定 with a noun
❌
✅
Mistake 4: translating まだ as only “still”
With a negative verb it usually means “not yet.”
= I have not read it yet.

11. Quick cheat sheet

Grammar Meaning Example
Volitional Let's… / I think I'll…
V-volitional + と思っています I am thinking of doing…
Vる + つもりです I intend to do…
Vない + つもりです I intend not to do…
Vる + 予定です is scheduled/planned to…
Nの + 予定です is planned for N
まだVていません have not done yet

12. Practice

A. Change to the volitional form

B. Choose the most natural pattern

Choose from: ～と思っています / ～つもりです / ～予定です.

  1. A meeting is officially scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
  2. You have been thinking about traveling to Kyoto next year.
  3. You have firmly decided not to buy a car this year.
  1. ～予定です
  2. ～ようと思っています
  3. ～ないつもりです

C. Translate into Japanese

  1. Let's take a break.
  2. I'm thinking of going to Japan next year.
  3. I intend to marry her.
  4. The meeting is scheduled to start at 1:00.
  5. I haven't read that book yet.

Sample answers — other natural wordings are also correct.

13. Final memory rule

Let's go. Volitional form.

I am thinking of going. Intention in mind.

I intend to go. Clear personal intention.

It is planned/scheduled that I will go. Arranged plan.

I haven't gone yet. Action not completed up to now.