〜予定 (よてい): How to Say Something Is Scheduled or Planned
What it means
予定 is a noun meaning "plan," "schedule," or "arrangement." When you say something is your 予定, you mean it's settled on the calendar — a date, a time, a fixed event. It's more concrete than just "thinking about it." You use it for trips, meetings, appointments, deadlines, and anything already pinned down.
ヤッタンは来週、京都に行く予定です。
ヤッタンは らいしゅう、きょうとに いく よていです。
Yattan is scheduled to go to Kyoto next week.
明日は会議の予定です。
あしたは かいぎの よていです。
There's a meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
Noun (会議) + の + 予定.
モチは三時に先生と会う予定だ。
モチは さんじに せんせいと あう よていだ。
Mochi is scheduled to meet the teacher at three.
How to form it
There are two patterns, depending on whether you're attaching it to a verb or a noun:
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (dictionary form) | 〜る + 予定だ／です | 行く予定です (am scheduled to go) |
| Noun | 名詞 + の + 予定 | 旅行の予定 (a travel plan) |
| Negative (verb) | 〜ない + 予定 | 行かない予定です (plan not to go) |
| Negative (whole plan) | 〜予定はない | 行く予定はない (have no plans to go) |
| Past | 〜予定だった／でした | 行く予定でした (was scheduled to go) |
Note that the verb stays in plain dictionary form before 予定 — never the polite 〜ます form. You say 行く予定です, not 行きます予定です.
Plans with nouns
When the plan is a thing — a trip, a meeting, an exam — use noun + の + 予定:
今週末は旅行の予定があります。
こんしゅうまつは りょこうの よていが あります。
There's a trip planned for this weekend.
予定がある = there is a plan.
ヤッタンの弟は土曜日にテストの予定です。
ヤッタンの おとうとは どようびに テストの よていです。
Yattan's little brother has a test scheduled for Saturday.
Saying there's no plan
There are two natural ways to make 予定 negative. Negate the verb to say what you plan not to do, or negate 予定 itself to say no such plan exists:
今日は出かけない予定です。
きょうは でかけない よていです。
The plan is to not go out today.
〜ない予定 = plan to NOT do something.
ヤッタンは今週、休む予定はない。
ヤッタンは こんしゅう、やすむ よていは ない。
Yattan has no plans to take a break this week.
〜予定はない = there is no such plan at all.
The second pattern, 〜予定はない, is the more common way to simply say "I have no plans to…"
予定 vs つもり vs ようと思う
All three can translate as "plan to" in English, but they sit at different levels of certainty:
| Form | Core idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 予定だ | a fixed, often externally-set schedule — on the calendar | 三時に出発する予定です = We're scheduled to leave at 3 |
| つもりだ | your personal intention or resolve | 三時に出発するつもりです = I intend to leave at 3 |
| ようと思う | just thinking of doing it now; least settled | 三時に出発しようと思います = I'm thinking of leaving at 3 |
In short: 予定 is the most concrete and settled — it's an arrangement, sometimes one set by others (your job, a timetable, a booking). 〜つもり is what you've decided in your head. 〜ようと思う is the loosest — a thought you've just had. So 結婚する予定です sounds like a wedding is booked, while 結婚するつもりです is your personal plan.
Common mistakes
- Using 〜ます before 予定. The verb must be plain dictionary form: 行く予定です (✓), not
行きます予定です. - Forgetting の after a noun. It's 会議の予定, not
会議予定as a standalone phrase. - Reaching for 予定 when you mean personal intention. If it's just your own resolve and nothing is fixed yet, つもり or ようと思う fits better than 予定.
- Mixing up the two negatives. 行かない予定 = "plan to not go" (you're choosing to stay); 行く予定はない = "have no plans to go." Don't blend them into
行かない予定はないunless you really mean a double negative.
Quick recap
- 予定 = a scheduled, settled plan; the thing is on the calendar.
- Verb: dictionary form + 予定だ／です. Noun: noun + の + 予定.
- Negatives: 〜ない予定 (plan not to) and 〜予定はない (no plan at all).
- More concrete than つもり (your intention) or ようと思う (just a thought).
Your turn
Choose the correct form of 予定 (verb + 予定だ vs noun + の + 予定).
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between 予定 and つもり?
予定 is a fixed, scheduled plan, often set externally (a meeting, a flight, a timetable). つもり is your own personal intention. 出張する予定です sounds like the trip is arranged; 出張するつもりです is what you intend to do.
Do I use の before 予定?
Only after a noun: 旅行の予定 ('a travel plan'). After a verb you use the plain dictionary form with no の: 行く予定です.
How do I say I have no plans to do something?
Use 〜予定はない: 今週は出かける予定はない ('I have no plans to go out this week'). Compare 出かけない予定 — that means you actively plan to stay in.
Can 予定 be used about the past?
Yes. 予定だった／でした describes a plan that was set, often one that changed: 行く予定でしたが、やめました ('I was scheduled to go, but I didn't').