Chapter 2 — The Volitional Form: "Let's / I'll"

In Stage 1, you learned ましょう as a polite way to suggest doing something together ("let's go," "let's eat"). You also learned ましょうか as an offer ("shall I carry it?"). The volitional form is the plain-form counterpart of ましょう. It expresses the speaker's will, intention, or a casual invitation. Where ましょう belongs in polite conversation, the volitional belongs in casual speech, internal thought, and several important grammar patterns.

This chapter teaches the volitional formation and three key constructions built on it: expressing plans with ～ようと思う, and expressing attempted or imminent action with ～ようとする.

2.1 Formation of the Volitional Form

五段 Verbs

For 五段 verbs, change the final う-row sound to the corresponding お-row sound, then add う. The result is a long おう sound.

The pattern is completely regular. If you know the お-row equivalent of the verb's final sound, you can form the volitional instantly.

一段 Verbs

For 一段 verbs, drop the final る and add よう.

Irregular Verbs

Both must be memorized. しよう follows no derivable pattern from する. 来よう uses the reading こ, which is unique to this form.

2.2 The Volitional as Casual "Let's"

The most basic use of the volitional form is as a casual equivalent of ～ましょう. It is used among friends, family, and peers — anyone you would use plain form with.

映画を　見よう。 "Let's watch a movie."

もう　帰ろう。 "Let's go home already."

あした　いっしょに　べんきょうしよう。 "Let's study together tomorrow."

ちょっと　休もう。（やすもう） "Let's take a break."

何を　食べよう？ "What shall we eat?"

The volitional with a question intonation (or followed by か in semi-polite speech) works as "shall we?" — a suggestion open to the listener's input.

どこに　行こう？ "Where shall we go?"

そろそろ　出よう　か。 "Shall we head out soon?"

When the volitional is used by a speaker alone — without addressing a listener — it expresses personal resolve or intention, like talking to yourself.

よし、がんばろう。 "All right, I'll do my best."

あした　はやく　起きよう。 "I'll wake up early tomorrow." (said to oneself)

This "self-directed" use is common in internal monologue in novels and manga. You will encounter it frequently in narrative texts where a character is thinking to themselves.

2.3 ～ようと思う — "I'm thinking of doing"

The volitional form combined with と思う creates a construction that expresses planning or intention. Where つもり (taught in Stage 1) states a firm intention, ～ようと思う is softer — closer to "I'm thinking of doing" or "I think I'll do."

Formation: 意志形 ＋ と思う / と思っている

来年　日本に　行こうと　思っている。 "I'm thinking of going to Japan next year."

あたらしい　パソコンを　買おうと　思う。 "I think I'll buy a new computer."

あした　ともだちに　電話しようと　思っています。 "I'm thinking of calling my friend tomorrow." (polite)

日本語の　べんきょうを　つづけようと　思う。 "I think I'll continue studying Japanese."

There is a subtle difference between と思う and と思っている in this construction. ～ようと思う expresses a decision being made at the moment of speaking — "I think I'll..." ～ようと思っている expresses an ongoing plan that has been in the speaker's mind for some time — "I've been thinking of..." Both are common, and the difference is often negligible in casual speech.

来月　引っ越そうと　思っている。（ひっこそう） "I've been thinking of moving next month."

今日は　はやく　ねようと　思う。 "I think I'll go to bed early today."

Compare this with つもり:

来年　日本に　行く　つもりだ。 "I intend to go to Japan next year." (firm plan)

来年　日本に　行こうと　思っている。 "I'm thinking of going to Japan next year." (softer, less committed)

Both express future intention, but ～ようと思う leaves more room for uncertainty. It is a common and natural way to talk about plans in everyday Japanese.

2.4 ～ようとする — "Try to do" / "Be about to do"

The volitional form combined with とする has two related meanings depending on context and tense.

Meaning 1: "Try to do" (attempt, often unsuccessful)

In the past tense (～ようとした), this construction typically describes an attempt that was difficult, interrupted, or unsuccessful.

ドアを　開けようとしたが、開かなかった。（あけようとした、あかなかった） "I tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open."

説明しようとしたが、ことばが　出なかった。（せつめい） "I tried to explain, but the words wouldn't come out."

電話しようとした　とき、ともだちが　来た。 "Just when I was about to call, my friend arrived."

The nuance is important: ～ようとする describes the attempt or intent to do something, not the successful completion. It often pairs with failure or interruption. This is different from ～てみる (which you will learn later), where the action is actually carried out as an experiment.

Meaning 2: "Be about to do" (imminent action)

In the present tense (～ようとしている), the construction can describe an action that is on the verge of happening.

電車が　出ようとしている。 "The train is about to leave."

日が　しずもうとしている。 "The sun is about to set."

あかちゃんが　あるこうとしている。 "The baby is trying to walk."

In this usage, the line between "trying to" and "about to" can blur. Context and the nature of the verb determine the interpretation. With non-volitional subjects (the sun, a train), "about to" is the natural reading. With volitional subjects (a person, a baby), "trying to" is often more appropriate.

ねこが　テーブルの　上に　のろうとしている。 "The cat is trying to get on the table."

かれは　何かを　言おうとしたが、やめた。 "He tried to say something, but stopped."

2.5 Reading Passage

あしたは　日曜日だ。何を　しよう？

さいきん、あまり　うんどうを　していない。あしたは　はやく　起きて、こうえんを　走ろうと　思う。三十分ぐらい　走ったら、シャワーを　あびて、あさごはんを　食べよう。

ごごは　どうしよう。ともだちの　山田さんに　れんらくしようかな。先週、「あたらしい　カフェに　行こう」と　言っていたから、いっしょに　行こうと　思う。山田さんは　コーヒーが　大すきだから、きっと　よろこぶだろう。

カフェの　あとは、えいがを　見ようか。さいきん　見たい　えいがが　ある。山田さんも　見たいと　言っていた。えいがかんは　えきの　ちかくに　あるから、カフェから　あるいて　行ける。

よる　は、来月の　りょこうの　けいかくを　たてようと　思っている。日本に　行こうと　思っているが、まだ　ホテルを　きめていない。こんしゅうちゅうに　きめようと　思う。

よし、あしたは　いい　一日に　しよう。

Translation:

Tomorrow is Sunday. What shall I do?

I haven't been exercising much lately. I think I'll wake up early tomorrow and run in the park. After running for about thirty minutes, I'll take a shower and eat breakfast.

What shall I do in the afternoon? Maybe I'll contact my friend Yamada. Last week, they said "let's go to a new cafe," so I'm thinking of going together. Yamada loves coffee, so they'll definitely be happy.

After the cafe, shall we watch a movie? There is a movie I want to see lately. Yamada said they want to see it too. The movie theater is near the station, so we can walk there from the cafe.

In the evening, I've been thinking of making plans for next month's trip. I'm thinking of going to Japan, but I haven't decided on a hotel yet. I think I'll decide within this week.

All right, I'll make tomorrow a good day.

2.6 Recognition Notes

The volitional form is easy to spot in text. Look for these markers:

For 五段 verbs: a verb stem followed by ～おう (書こう, 読もう, 行こう). The おう ending is distinctive and does not appear in any other conjugation.

For 一段 verbs: a verb stem followed by ～よう (食べよう, 見よう). Again, this ending is unique to the volitional.

The constructions ～ようと思う and ～ようとする are recognizable by the と that follows the volitional form. When you see a volitional form followed by と, expect one of these two patterns.

Be careful not to confuse the volitional ～よう with the auxiliary よう that means "appearance" or "manner" (as in このよう, そのよう). The volitional ～よう is always attached to a verb stem, while the auxiliary よう is a separate word that follows の or な.

2.7 Vocabulary List