Intention つもり in Japanese

Overview

The expression つもり conveys firm intention or a definite plan: "I intend to..." or "I plan to...". It is stronger and more decisive than ようと思う, signaling that you have made up your mind. At the B1 level, つもり is essential for talking about your plans with confidence, declining invitations firmly, and expressing what you will or will not do.

つもり also has a secondary meaning: "believe (about oneself)" or "think (of oneself as)." This usage describes a self-perception that may or may not match reality, adding an interesting dimension to the expression.

Understanding the difference between つもり, ようと思う, and 予定 will help you calibrate the strength and certainty of your statements about future actions.

How It Works

Formation

Pattern	Meaning	Example
Dictionary form + つもりです	I intend to...	行くつもりです
ない form + つもりです	I intend not to...	行かないつもりです
Dictionary form + つもりはない	I have no intention of...	行くつもりはない
た form + つもり	(Think/believe one has done)	言ったつもりです
Noun + の + つもり	Think of oneself as	学生のつもり

Strength comparison

Expression	Certainty Level	Example
かもしれない	Low	行くかもしれない (might go)
ようと思う	Medium	行こうと思う (thinking of going)
つもりだ	High	行くつもりだ (intend to go)
予定だ	Confirmed	行く予定だ (scheduled to go)

Negative intention: two forms

Form	Nuance	Example
ないつもりです	I intend not to	行かないつもりです (I intend not to go)
つもりはありません	I have no intention of	行くつもりはありません (I have no intention of going -- stronger)

Self-perception usage

Example	Meaning
若いつもりです	I think of myself as young (but may not be)
ちゃんと説明したつもりです	I believe I explained properly (but maybe not)
冗談のつもりでした	I meant it as a joke (but it was not received that way)

Examples in Context

Japanese	English	Note
来年結婚するつもりです。	I intend to get married next year.	Firm future plan
行かないつもりです。	I don't intend to go.	Negative intention
彼に言うつもりはありません。	I have no intention of telling him.	Strong negative
何をするつもりですか？	What do you intend to do?	Question
夏休みにヨーロッパに行くつもりです。	I plan to go to Europe for summer vacation.	Future plan
転職するつもりはありません。	I have no intention of changing jobs.	Firm denial
ちゃんと聞いたつもりでしたが、忘れました。	I thought I had listened carefully, but I forgot.	Self-perception
冗談のつもりで言ったんですが。	I meant it as a joke, but...	Unintended consequence
大学に行くつもりはなかったけど、気が変わりました。	I had no intention of going to university, but I changed my mind.	Past intention
まだ若いつもりですが、体がついてきません。	I think of myself as still young, but my body can't keep up.	Self-perception gap

Common Mistakes

Using つもり for other people's firm plans

• Wrong: 彼は明日来るつもりです。 (stating someone else's intention as fact)
• Right: 彼は明日来るつもりだそうです。 or 彼は明日来るつもりらしいです。
• Why: つもり expresses internal intention. For third person, add hearsay markers (そうです, らしい) or use 予定.

Confusing つもりだ with た form + つもり

• Wrong: Using 行ったつもり to mean "I intend to have gone"
• Right: 行ったつもり means "I believe/feel as if I went" (self-perception)
• Why: With the past tense, つもり shifts from intention to self-perception. 行くつもり (intend to go) vs. 行ったつもり (feel as if I went).

Using つもり for scheduled events beyond your control

• Wrong: 明日は雨が降るつもりです。
• Right: 明日は雨が降る予定です。 or 雨が降るらしいです。
• Why: つもり only applies to intentional actions by a person. Weather, accidents, and external events cannot have intentions.

Usage Notes

つもり is direct and confident. In business contexts, it signals commitment. In personal contexts, it can sound very firm -- even stubborn. If you want to soften your plans slightly, ようと思います is a gentler alternative.

The self-perception つもり (たつもり, のつもり) often appears when there is a gap between what someone believes and reality. It can carry a slightly ironic or apologetic tone: ちゃんとやったつもりなんですが... ("I thought I did it properly, but...").

つもりはない is one of the strongest ways to decline or refuse in Japanese without being directly confrontational. It clearly states that you have zero intention of doing something.

Practice Tips

• Practice pairing つもり sentences with ようと思う sentences about the same topic. Notice how つもり feels more committed: 行こうと思います (thinking about it) vs. 行くつもりです (definitely planning to).
• Write about plans that changed using past つもり: ～するつもりだったけど、～になった (I intended to... but... happened).
• Use the self-perception つもり to describe humorous situations where your self-image differs from reality.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Plain/Dictionary Form -- つもり attaches to the dictionary form for future intentions