Talking about future plans in Japanese

Level A2

Talking about future plans in Japanese

Japanese has no separate future tense: a nonpast verb can refer to the future when the time or context makes this clear. Put the dictionary form of a verb before つもり to express an intention, or before 予定 to describe a scheduled plan. The longer expression つもりでいる describes an intention you hold; it does not mean an action is happening now. Subjects such as “I” and “we” are often left out when understood, and みんなで means “all together,” rather than being a direct replacement for “we.”

Expressions for intentions and changing plans

Intentions with つもり and scheduled plans with 予定

未来の時は動詞の辞書形 つもり／予定。

Expressing an intention you hold with つもりでいる

動詞の辞書形 つもりだ。

Future arrangements with 行く and 仕事なんだ

未来の時は同行者で行き先に行(い)くよ。／未来の時間帯は活動を表す名詞なんだ。

Changing plans and choosing casual or polite speech

Use 予定を変えた for “I changed my plans” or “we changed our plans,” depending on context: “予定を変えた。土曜日に勉強するよ。” The past form 変えた reports the change, while nonpast 勉強する gives the new future action; Japanese needs no equivalent of English “will.” Time expressions followed by は set the topic, while 土曜日に places the action on Saturday.

The casual forms here suit friends and close contacts: よ presents information to the listener, question-ending の asks for an explanation, and 仕事なんだ explains that you have work, without an English-style “am working” construction. With someone you address politely, use endings such as つもりです or 予定です, ask with ですか, and report the change with 変えました. The work dialogue mixes polite questions with casual replies, so use the polite endings yourself when the relationship calls for polite speech.

Casual questions and answers about study plans

Polite questions about work plans with casual replies

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