〜ようと思う: 'I'm Thinking of Doing' / 'I Plan To' (Meaning + Examples)
A decision made on the spot
〜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.
Built from the volitional
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 — the ongoing version
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.
How firm is it? 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.
The slips that change your meaning
- 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.
The short version
- 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.
Practice it
Choose the correct volitional + と思う form for each sentence.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
Choose the grammar pattern that best completes the sentence.
今日は＿＿＿と思う。
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.
Where 〜ようと思う fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜と思う · N5 — 〜と思う lets you say what you think: [plain form] + と思う. Learn the quotative と, why the clause stays plain, the 〜ようと思う 'I'm thinking of doing' use, and 〜と思っている.
Don't confuse it with
- 〜つもり · N5 — つもり expresses a personal plan or intention: 行くつもりです ('I plan to go'). Learn the dictionary-form pattern, negatives, つもりだった, and how it differs from よてい and 〜よう.
Hear it in a real conversation
See this pattern used naturally in a real-situation dialogue:
More N4 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 謙譲語 — 謙譲語 (kenjougo) is humble Japanese: you lower yourself and your group to honor others. Learn the お〜する pattern and special humble verbs like 参る, いたす, 申す, and 伺う.
- 〜のに — This 〜のに attaches to a dictionary-form verb to mean 'for doing X' or 'in order to X', setting up a comment about time, cost, or usefulness — 行くのに1週間かかった (it took a week to go). Not the same のに as 'even though'.
- 尊敬語 — Sonkeigo (尊敬語) raises the person you're talking about — the listener or a third party — never yourself. Learn お〜になる, お〜ください, the passive honorific, and the special verbs.
- 〜そうに/そうな — 〜そうに (adverbial) and 〜そうな (adnominal) attach to an adjective or verb stem to mean 'looking like/seeming to' — 楽しそうに話す ('talk looking happy'), 美味しそうな料理 ('food that looks delicious'). They describe an appearance judged from what's visible.
- 〜たがる — 〜たがる expresses a third person's desire ('he wants to…'). Learn why Japanese switches from たい to たがる, how to form it, the particle change, and see clear examples.
- 〜ということ — 〜ということ turns a whole sentence into a noun phrase, letting you treat 'that [clause]' as the subject or object of another verb. It's often used with 知っている, 聞いた, or after つまり to restate something plainly.