Volitional Form Japanese Grammar: Say Let's and I Plan To

The volitional form: let’s, and what I intend

With friends, 〜ようか (shall we?) makes it a suggestion rather than a decision: 食べようか.

Short answer: the volitional form is the casual “let’s”: 行こう, “let’s go”. Group 1 verbs move to the o-row and add う (行く → 行こう); Group 2 verbs replace る with よう (食べる → 食べよう). It also expresses intention: 行こうと思います, “I’m thinking of going”, and attempts: 行こうとした, “I tried to go”.

Forming the volitional

The long ō sound is written おう in hiragana: こう, もう, ろう.

Volitional	Meaning	From
ikō	let’s go	行く
nomō	let’s drink	飲む
kaerō	let’s go home	帰る
matō	let’s wait	待つ
hanasō	let’s talk	話す
tabeyō	let’s eat	食べる
shiyō	let’s do	する
koyō	let’s come	来る

Let’s and shall we

With か it becomes a question: “shall we?”, “shall I?”.

お腹おなかonakastomachすいたsuitagot empty何かなにかnanikasomething食べようたべようtabeyōlet’s eat

Onaka suita. Nanika tabeyō. · “I’m hungry. Let’s eat something.”お腹がすいた: “my stomach is empty”.

うんunyeahラーメンrāmenramenにni(choice)しようかshiyō kashall we make it?

Un, rāmen ni shiyō ka. · “Yeah, shall we have ramen?”にする: decide on.

重そうおもそうomosōlooks heavyですねdesu nedoesn’t it持ちましょうかもちましょうかmochimashō kashall I carry it?

Omosō desu ne. Mochimashō ka. · “That looks heavy. Shall I carry it?”ましょうか offers help.

すみませんsumimasenthank youお願いしますおねがいしますonegai shimasuplease

Sumimasen, onegai shimasu. · “Thanks, that would be kind.”すみません as thanks for trouble.

Plans: ようと思っています

Volitional + と思う tells someone what you intend. ている makes it a plan you have had for a while.

夏なつnatsusummerにniin日本にほんNihonJapanへeto行こういこうikōlet’s goとto(quote)思っていますおもっていますomotte imasuam thinking

Natsu ni Nihon e ikō to omotte imasu.“I’m planning to go to Japan in the summer.”Why: Intention you have been holding: ている.

今日きょうkyōtodayはwa(topic)早くはやくhayakuearly寝ようねようneyōlet’s sleepとto(quote)思いますおもいますomoimasuI think

Kyō wa hayaku neyō to omoimasu.“I think I’ll go to bed early today.”Why: A decision made now: 思います.

来年らいねんrainennext yearからkarafrom運動しよううんどうしようundō shiyōlet’s exerciseとto(quote)思っていますおもっていますomotte imasuam thinking

Rainen kara undō shiyō to omotte imasu.“I’m going to start exercising next year.”Why: する → しよう.

つもり: intend to

Dictionary form + つもり states a firm plan. Volitional + と思う is softer, still deciding.

来年らいねんrainennext year日本にほんNihonJapanにnito行くいくikugoつもりtsumoriintentionですdesuis

Rainen Nihon ni iku tsumori desu.“I intend to go to Japan next year.”Why: Firm plan.

来年らいねんrainennext year日本にほんNihonJapanにnito行こういこうikōlet’s goとto(quote)思っていますおもっていますomotte imasuam thinking

Rainen Nihon ni ikō to omotte imasu.“I’m thinking of going to Japan next year.”Why: Softer: still considering.

もうmōanymoreタバコtabakocigarettesはwa(topic)吸わないすわないsuwanainot smokeつもりtsumoriintention

Mō tabako wa suwanai tsumori.“I don’t intend to smoke any more.”Why: Negative + つもり.

予定: scheduled

予定 is for things already arranged, often with other people.

Volitional + とする: try to, be about to

Volitional + とする means making an attempt, or being on the point of doing something.

出かけようでかけようdekakeyōabout to go outとto(quote)したshitadid時ときtokiwhen雨あめamerainがga(subject)降ってきたふってきたfutte kitastarted

Dekakeyō to shita toki, ame ga futte kita.“Just as I was about to go out, it started raining.”Why: とする: on the point of.

何度なんどnandomany timesもmoeven忘れようわすれようwasureyōto forgetとto(quote)したshitatried

Nando mo wasureyō to shita.“I tried again and again to forget.”Why: とする: attempt.

Cheat sheet: making the volitional

Plain and polite, one verb per group.

Verb	Plain	Polite
iku	行こう	行きましょう
nomu	飲もう	飲みましょう
taberu	食べよう	食べましょう
suru	しよう	しましょう
kuru	来よう (こよう)	来ましょう

Check yourself

Give the plain volitional, then open the answer.

go home帰るかえるkaeru
Show answer
帰ろう.
wait待つまつmatsu
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待とう.
see見るみるmiru
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見よう.
rest休むやすむyasumu
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休もう.
begin始めるはじめるhajimeru
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始めよう.

Trying and about to: ようとする

Volitional + とする: tried to, was about to.