Tuesday 16 August 2016

grammar - Different ways to show intention to do something



How can one say "I am going to", express intention to do something in the future. I know some expressions such as:



たいと思う -  I'm going to/ I want to


ましょう - I will/ Why don't I


しようと思う - I think I will


しようとする - I'll try to


するところ - I'm about to


つもり - I plan to


する予定がある - I have plans to


する気がある - I feel like



ことにする - decide to


まいとする - I'll try not to


まいと思う - I think I won't



Do I understand what they mean correctly? Which are better to use when? What is the difference between similar expressions (予定 and つもり) ?



Answer



Your definitions were mostly OK I think.


I'm not an expert on grammar, so take this as a temporal answer until other people answer, but my interpretations thus far are...:





  • ~たいと思う means "I think I'd like to...":



    本を読みたいと思う "I think I'd like to read a book"





  • ~ましょう means "let's do..." (polite form):



    本を読みましょう "Let's read a book"






  • ~しようと思う means "I think I'll...":



    本を読もうと思う "I think I'll read a book"





  • ~しようとする means "I'll try to..." as you said:




    本を読もうとする "I'll try to read a book"





  • ~するところ means "I'm about to..."/"I'm at the point of..." or "place for (do)ing...":



    本を読むところ "I'm about to read a book" or "place for reading books"






  • ~つもり means "I intend to", slightly less formal than ~予定がある I think and is less likely to be used in business etc:



    本を読むつもりだ "I intend to read a book"





  • ~する予定がある "I have plans to" as stated:



    本を読む予定がある "I have plans to read a book"






  • ~する気がある "I am of a mind to":



    本を読む気がある "I am of a mind to read a book"





  • I think ~ことにする translates differently depending on the context, but that it generally means "(will) go with (do)ing...":




    今週こそは本を読むことにする "I will go with reading a book this week"





I'm not sure about ~まいとする and ~まいと思う. I think the difference between ~予定がある and ~つもり might need it's own question.


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