How to tell them apart
つもり states a settled intention or conviction as a fact about your mindset, while ようと思う frames the action as something you are now leaning toward doing. With つもり the decision feels already made; with ようと思う you are still weighing it and presenting the plan as your current thinking. Swapping them can sound odd: saying 会わないつもりだ reads as a firm resolve, whereas 会わないように思う would sound like you are merely musing about it.
- つもり Use つもり when you present your intention or conviction as a decided stance.
- ようと思う Use ようと思う when you are still thinking it over and expressing a tentative plan.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| つもり tsumori | Intend to; plan to | N4 |
| ようと思う youto u | am considering doing; have the intention to | N4 |
つもり tsumori
Intend to; plan to
つもり expresses the speaker's intention or plan to do something, similar to 'I plan to' or 'I intend to'. It follows the plain form of a verb, and is often combined with です for a polite statement. It can also be used in casual speech with だ.
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明日の計画は立てていません。気楽にするつもりです。
I don't have any plans for tomorrow. I'm going to take it easy.
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明日、天気がよければピクニックに行くつもりです。
We will go on a picnic if it is fine tomorrow.
ようと思う youto u
am considering doing; have the intention to
ようと思う expresses the speaker's intention or plan to do something, similar to saying 'I'm thinking of doing' or 'I intend to do'. It attaches to the volitional form of a verb (よう/おう). It is used in casual speech as well, as in 思うの or 思うんだ.
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明日、東京へ行ってこようと思うの。
Tomorrow, I have plans to go to Tokyo.
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私たちはそれを公にしようと思う。
We will make it public.
つもり and ようと思う are both JLPT N4 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.