〜ようと思う: 'I'm Thinking of Doing' / 'I Plan To' (Meaning + Examples)
What it means
〜ようと思う is how you announce a decision you've made to do something. The volitional form (食べよう, 行こう, しよう = "I'll eat," "I'll go," "I'll do") already means "let's…" or "I think I'll…"; adding と思う wraps it as a thought in your head, softening it into "I'm thinking I'll…" or "I plan to…". Because you're reporting your own intention, the subject is normally you. It often signals a choice made recently — at the moment of speaking, or not long before.
週末は日本語を勉強しようと思う。
しゅうまつは にほんごを べんきょうしようと おもう。
I'm thinking I'll study Japanese this weekend.
しよう (volitional of する) + と思う = I plan to study.
ヤッタンは今日はもう寝ようと思う。
ヤッタンは きょうは もう ねようと おもう。
Yattan is thinking he'll go to bed already today.
明日モチに電話しようと思う。
あした モチに でんわしようと おもう。
I think I'll call Mochi tomorrow.
How to form it
You only need the volitional form of the verb, then add と思う. The volitional is built like this:
| Verb type | Rule | Example | + と思う |
|---|---|---|---|
| る-verbs | drop る → add よう | 食べる → 食べよう | 食べようと思う |
| う-verbs | final -u → -ou | 行く → 行こう / 飲む → 飲もう | 行こうと思う |
| する | → しよう | する → しよう | しようと思う |
| 来る | → こよう | 来る → こよう | こようと思う |
The whole thing stays in plain form before と: it's always 〜（よ）うと思う, never です between the volitional and と.
〜ようと思っている — a settled intention
Swap 思う for 思っている and the nuance shifts from "I've just decided" to "I've been intending to". The 〜ている marks an ongoing state of mind, so it sounds more established — and, unlike plain 〜ようと思う, it can describe someone else's intention too.
ヤッタンは来年、日本に留学しようと思っている。
ヤッタンは らいねん、にほんに りゅうがくしようと おもっている。
Yattan has been intending to study abroad in Japan next year.
思っている = a settled, ongoing plan, and works for a third person.
先生は新しい本を書こうと思っているそうだ。
せんせいは あたらしい ほんを かこうと おもっているそうだ。
I hear the teacher has been thinking of writing a new book.
A quick contrast: 「ちょっと休もうと思う」 sounds like deciding right now to take a break, while 「ずっと前から休もうと思っている」 means you've been wanting to for a while.
〜ようと思う vs つもり vs 予定
All three talk about future plans, but they differ in how firm and how fixed the plan is:
- 〜ようと思う — your intention / leaning, often a fresh decision. The softest of the three: you're sharing what's on your mind, and it could still change. 旅行しようと思う ("I'm thinking I'll travel").
- つもり — a firmer personal plan you've already settled on in your mind. Stronger commitment than 〜ようと思う. 旅行するつもりだ ("I'm planning to travel" — you mean it). See 〜つもり.
- 予定 — a fixed, scheduled arrangement, often set by a calendar or by others (a meeting, a flight, an event). 旅行の予定だ ("the trip is scheduled"). The most objective.
So the rough order of firmness is 〜ようと思う < つもり < 予定. If you're musing, use 〜ようと思う; if it's decided, つもり; if it's on the calendar, 予定.
夏休みは旅行しようと思うけど、まだ決めていない。
なつやすみは りょこうしようと おもうけど、まだ きめていない。
I'm thinking I'll travel over summer break, but I haven't decided yet.
〜ようと思う fits a plan that's still loose.
Common mistakes
- Using the dictionary form before と思う. It must be the volitional: 行こうと思う (✓), not 行くと思う. 行くと思う means something different — "I think (someone) will go," a prediction about a fact, which is plain と思う.
- Adding です inside. Keep it plain before と: 勉強しようと思います (polite at the end) is fine, but never 勉強しようですと思う.
- Using 〜ようと思う for someone else's plan. Plain 〜ようと思う is for your own intention. For a third person, use 〜ようと思っている: 弟は買おうと思っている (✓).
- Treating it like a fixed schedule. 〜ようと思う is a leaning, not a locked-in arrangement. For something on the calendar, use 予定.
Quick recap
- Volitional form + と思う = "I'm thinking I'll…" / "I plan to…" — a personal, often recent decision.
- Build the volitional: る-verbs → 〜よう, う-verbs → 〜おう, する → しよう, 来る → こよう.
- 〜ようと思っている = a more settled intention, and usable for a third person.
- Firmness ladder: 〜ようと思う < つもり < 予定.
Your turn
Choose the correct volitional + と思う form for each sentence.
Start the 5-question drill →Take the full N4 〜ようと思う drill →
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between 〜ようと思う and つもり?
〜ようと思う is a softer, often freshly-made intention you're sharing — it could still change. つもり is a firmer plan you've already settled on. Compare 行こうと思う ('I'm thinking I'll go') with 行くつもりだ ('I'm planning to go,' more committed).
What does 〜ようと思っている mean compared to 〜ようと思う?
Adding 思っている makes it an ongoing state of mind, so it sounds more settled — 'I've been intending to.' It can also describe someone else's intention, while plain 〜ようと思う is normally about yourself.
How is this different from plain と思う?
Plain と思う after a dictionary form (行くと思う) is a prediction: 'I think (someone) will go.' Volitional + と思う (行こうと思う) is your own decision: 'I think I'll go.' The volitional is what makes it about your intention.
How do I make the volitional form?
Drop る and add よう for る-verbs (食べる → 食べよう); change the final -u to -ou for う-verbs (行く → 行こう); する → しよう and 来る → こよう.