Japanese · JLPT Band 1 (N5) · Chapter 38

にほんに いく つもりですI plan to go to Japan

Nihon ni iku tsumori desu

Talking about future plans. Vocabulary: tsumori, shōrai, rainen, keikaku, natsuyasumi, kaeru, au, kimeru, zettai, tabun. Key grammar: to say what you intend to do, use "verb dictionary-form + tsumori desu". The dictionary form is the plain form listed in a dictionary, and it differs from the masu-form: "ikimasu → iku", "tabemasu → taberu", "shimasu → suru". "Rainen Nihon ni iku tsumori desu" (I plan to go to Japan next year). The negative is "…nai tsumori desu" or "…tsumori wa arimasen". English speakers tend to attach the masu-form instead of the dictionary form: "ikimasu tsumori" ✗ → "iku tsumori" ✓. Kana corner: the "u-row" ending sound of the dictionary form.

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いきますつもり / いく つもり— ikimasu tsumori / iku tsumori

  1. YukiマMaイiクkuさsaんn、なnaつtsuやyaすsuみmiはwaなnaにniをoしshiまmaすsuかka?Mike, what will you do in the summer holiday?
  2. MikeアAメmeリriカkaにniかkaえeりriまmaすsuつtsuもmoりriでdeすsu。I plan to go back to America. (slip: "tsumori" attaches to the dictionary form → kaeru tsumori desu)
  3. Yuki「つTsuもmoりri」のnoまmaえeはwaじjiしょshoけkeいiでdeすsu:「かkaえeりriまmaすsu→かkaえeるru」。だDaかkaらra「かkaえeるruつtsuもmoりriでdeすsu」。Before "tsumori" comes the dictionary form: "kaerimasu → kaeru". So "kaeru tsumori desu".
  4. MikeなNaるruほhoどdo。なNaつtsuやyaすsuみmiにniアAメmeリriカkaにniかkaえeるruつtsuもmoりriでdeすsu。かKaぞzoくkuにniあaうuつtsuもmoりriでdeすsu。I see. I plan to go back to America in the summer holiday. I plan to see my family.
  5. YukiいIいiでdeすsuねne。わWaたtaしshiはwaらraいiねneんnにNiほhoんnでdeにniほhoんnごgoをoべbeんnきょうkyōすsuるruつtsuもmoりriでdeすsu。Nice. I plan to study Japanese in Japan next year.
  6. MikeすSuごgoいiけkeいiかkaくkuでdeすsuねne。ぜZeっtたtaいiたtaのnoしshiいiなnaつtsuやyaすsuみmiにniなnaりriまmaすsuよyo!What a great plan. It will definitely be a fun summer!
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しゅうまつの けいかく— Weekend plans

  1. KenユYuキkiさsaんn、こkoんnどdoのnoどdoようyōびbi、なnaにniをoすsuるruつtsuもmoりriでdeすsuかka?Yuki, what do you plan to do this Saturday?
  2. YukiとToもmoだdaちchiにniあaうuつtsuもmoりriでdeすsu。えEいiがgaをoみmiるruけkeいiかkaくkuでdeすsu。I plan to meet a friend. The plan is to see a film.
  3. KenいIいiでdeすsuねne。にNiちchiようyōびbiはwa?Nice. And Sunday?
  4. YukiにNiちchiようyōびbiはwaいiえeでdeやyaすsuむmuつtsuもmoりriでdeすsu。どDoこkoにniもmoいiきkiまmaせseんn。ケKeンnさsaんnはwa?On Sunday I plan to rest at home. I won't go anywhere. And you, Ken?
  5. KenぼBoくkuはwaとtoしょshoかkaんnでdeべbeんnきょうkyōすsuるruつtsuもmoりriでdeすsu。らRaいiしゅうshūテteスsuトtoがgaあaりriまmaすsu。I plan to study at the library. I have a test next week.
  6. YukiがGaんnばbaっtてteくkuだdaさsaいi。テTeスsuトtoのnoあaとto、いiっsしょshoにniあaそsoびbiまmaしょうshō!Good luck. After the test, let's hang out together!
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つtsuもmoりri

nounintention, plan

しょうshōらraいi

nounthe future

らraいiねneんn

nounnext year

けkeいiかkaくku

nounplan

なnaつtsuやyaすsuみmi

nounsummer holiday

かkaえeるru

verbto go home, return

あaうu

verbto meet

きkiめmeるru

verbto decide

ぜzeっtたtaいi

adverbdefinitely, for sure

たtaぶbuんn

adverbprobably, maybe

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Dictionary-form + tsumori desu

Explanation

To say what you have decided to do, use "verb dictionary-form + tsumori desu". The dictionary form is the plain form listed in a dictionary. Until now you have used the polite "masu-form", but the dictionary form is its base shape: "ikimasu → iku", "tabemasu → taberu", "nomimasu → nomu", "mimasu → miru", "kaimasu → kau", "shimasu → suru", "kimasu → kuru", "aimasu → au", "kaerimasu → kaeru". Add "tsumori desu" to it: "rainen Nihon ni iku tsumori desu" (I plan to go to Japan next year). There are two negatives: "…nai tsumori desu" (ikanai tsumori desu) or "…tsumori wa arimasen". Adding "tabun" or "zettai" in front changes how strong the intention feels. English speakers tend to attach "tsumori" while leaving the masu-form: "ikimasu tsumori" ✗ → "iku tsumori" ✓. Change back to the dictionary form first, then attach it.

Examples

  • らいねん にほんに いく つもりです。I plan to go to Japan next year.
  • なつやすみは うみで およぐ つもりです。In the summer holiday I plan to swim in the sea.
  • こんばんは テレビを みない つもりです。べんきょうします。Tonight I don't plan to watch TV. I will study.
  • しょうらいは いしゃに なる つもりです。ぜったい きめました。In the future I plan to become a doctor. I have definitely decided.
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じしょけいの おわり「う だん」— Dictionary-form ends in the "u-row"

Read the dictionary forms:

  • いく → いく つもりiku → iku tsumorigo → plan to go (ku)
  • のむ → のむ つもりnomu → nomu tsumoridrink → plan to drink (mu)
  • かえる → かえる つもりkaeru → kaeru tsumorireturn → plan to return (ru)
  • あう → あう つもりau → au tsumorimeet → plan to meet (u)

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