N4 · Unit 8
Lesson 30State your intention
Suggest a shared action or state what you intend to do next.
What you learn
Suggest a shared action or state what you intend to do next.
Learning points
- Volitional forms
- Shared suggestions
- Personal intentions
Why this lesson comes now
This lesson connects what you can already say to a new way of expressing it. Hear the key sentences, understand the structure, then use it in a real situation.
Your next step
Listen to the key sentences, understand the pattern, finish the examples and vocabulary, then continue to the next lesson.
Open the interactive lessonCore pattern
動詞意志形 ・ 動詞意志形 + と 思います / と 思っています ・ 普通形 + ので ・ な形容詞 / 名詞 + なのでBeginner explanation
First identify the stage of intention. A bare volitional means let's do it now or I will do it. Volitional＋と思います states a current intention around speaking time, while volitional＋と思っています marks a plan formed earlier and still held. None automatically means that a booking or arrangement is confirmed. ので presents the reason as background; から leads more directly to a judgment, invitation, or instruction. Na-adjectives and nouns take なので. Finally, Nでいっぱい says what fills a space.
Understand these sentences first
- いっしょに 新しい 店へ 行こう。issho ni atarashii mise e ikō
Let's go to the new shop together.
- もう 遅いので、そろそろ 帰ろうと 思います。mō osoi node, sorosoro kaerō to omoimasu
It is already late, so I think I will head home soon.
- 来年 日本語の 試験を 受けようと 思っています。rainen Nihongo no shiken o ukeyō to omotte imasu
I intend to take a Japanese exam next year.
- 荷物が 重いので、宅配便で 送ります。nimotsu ga omoi node, takuhai-bin de okurimasu
The package is heavy, so I will send it by delivery service.
Core vocabulary
- 考えますかんがえますthink; consider
- 続けますつづけますcontinue
- 迎えますむかえますmeet; welcome
- 送りますおくりますsend
- 出発しゅっぱつdeparture
- 空港くうこうairport
- 予定よていplan; schedule
- そろそろそろそろsoon; about time
Grammar, one point at a time
The volitional means let's do or I will do
一类お段＋う／二类よう／来よう／しようGroup 1 changes the final u-row sound to the o-row plus う; Group 2 replaces る with よう; 来る becomes 来よう and する becomes しよう. It corresponds to ましょう in plain style, while context decides invitation or self-decision.
Examples
- もう 11時だから 寝よう。It is eleven, so let's go to bed.
- 仕事の 後で 飲みに 行こう。Let's go for a drink after work.
- 荷物を 持とうか。Shall I carry the luggage?
Volitional + と思います expresses an intention formed or announced around speaking time
V意志形 + と 思いますIt is fuller and softer than a bare volitional and often means I intend to. It does not prove that arrangements are complete; distinguish wish, intention, and confirmed booking.
Examples
- 今日は 早く 帰ろうと 思います。I intend to go home early today.
- 病院へ 行こうと 思います。I intend to go to the hospital.
- この 靴を 買おうと 思います。I think I will buy these shoes.
Volitional + と思っています marks a plan or intention held over time
V意志形 + と 思っていますています highlights that the intention formed earlier and continues now, but it is not automatically a legal commitment or final decision. It can also report another person's intention when sourced.
Examples
- 連休に 旅行しようと 思っています。I am planning to travel during the holiday.
- 来年 転職しようと 思っています。I am planning to change jobs next year.
- 家族は 引っ越そうと 思っています。My family is planning to move.
Plain form + ので gives background reason; nouns and na-adjectives take なので
普通形 + ので／N・Aな + なのでので often presents a reason as background and suits explanations, requests, or apologies. Speech often contracts it to んで. It is not universally more polite than から; tone depends on the whole sentence and relationship.
Examples
- 荷物が 重いので、宅配便で 送ります。The luggage is heavy, so I will send it by courier.
- ここは 静かなので、気に入っています。I like it because it is quiet.
- 電車が 遅れたんで、遅刻しました。I was late because the train was delayed.
ので tends to background a reason; から more directly supports a judgment, invitation, or command
理由ので／理由からから is usually more natural before a command, strong advice, or immediate invitation, though this is not an absolute ban. Formal writing may call for ため or ために depending on logic.
Examples
- 時間が ないから、急ごう。There is no time, so let's hurry.
- 雨なので、予定を 変更します。Because it is raining, we will change the plan.
- 体調が 悪いので、休ませてください。I am unwell, so please let me rest.
Nでいっぱい means a space or container is full of something
場所／容器 は Nで いっぱいですで marks what fills the space. It can describe people, objects, or emotion, but safety contexts should not romanticize crowding.
Examples
- 公園は 人で いっぱいです。The park is full of people.
- 待合室は 患者で いっぱいです。The waiting room is full of patients.
- 灰皿は 吸い殻で いっぱいです。The ashtray is full of cigarette ends.
Expressions and situations
The volitional, ようと思う, and ようと思っている mark different stages of intention
Use a bare volitional for immediate joint action, ようと思う for a current intention, and ようと思っている for an existing plan. None automatically proves a booking.
- 出発しよう。Let's leave.
- 来月 休もうと 思います。I intend to take leave next month.
- 春に 旅行しようと 思っています。I have been planning a spring trip.
そろそろ marks an appropriate time approaching and can prompt leaving or starting
そろそろ失礼します announces departure from a visit; そろそろ出発しようか prompts joint action. It does not state an exact time.
- そろそろ 帰ろうと 思います。I think it is about time to go home.
それじゃ is the casual spoken form of それでは
It derives a response, decision, or closing from what came before. それでは is safer in formal settings.
- それじゃ、また 明日。Well then, see you tomorrow.
まあ can accept an imperfect but tolerable result or soften emotion
Intonation may show hesitation, concession, or reassurance. Do not use まあ to hide unresolved safety, quality, or rights issues.
- 時間が ないから、まあ、これで いいでしょう。There is no time, so this will have to do.
Sentence-final な／なあ can mark a self-directed exclamation
It depends on intonation and relationship; directed at someone, it can sound forceful or role-styled. Beginners should recognize it before imitating it.
- 今日は 寒いな。It is cold today.
- 困ったなあ。This is troublesome.
楽しみです means looking forward to something; 楽しみにしています emphasizes continuing anticipation
楽しみ can also mean a source of pleasure or hobby. Do not confuse it with 楽しい, which describes present enjoyment.
- 旅行が 楽しみです。I am looking forward to the trip.
- 楽しみに していてください。Please look forward to it.
行楽地 broadly means a leisure destination; facilities and capacity vary by place
Popular seasons may be crowded; check opening, transport, accessibility, weather, and temporary restrictions.
- 行楽地の 混雑を 調べます。I will check crowding at the leisure destination.
Hanami dates, places, and rules differ by year and location
Use the current year's forecast. Parks may prohibit unattended space-saving, fire, tents, amplified sound, or abandoned rubbish. Old visitor counts and assigning junior staff to reserve space are not current universal practice.
- 今年の 開花予想を 確認します。I will check this year's bloom forecast.
- 公園の ルールを 守ります。I will follow the park rules.
What you should be able to do
- Convert 14 verbs from dictionary to volitional form.
- Distinguish immediate volition, current intention, continuing plan, desire, and booking.
- Connect verb, adjective, and noun reasons with ので and から.
- Choose から or ので for commands, invitations, and apologies.
- Use そろそろ, 楽しみ, なあ, and でいっぱい in an outing dialogue.
- Complete an original hanami plan by checking bloom, transport, crowding, and park rules without assuming space-saving.
Culture and real use
Rebuild a hanami plan every year: check bloom, park rules, and capacity
Cherry blossom timing varies by region, species, year, and weather, so trips require that year's forecast and operator notices. Old visitor counts and assigning junior staff to reserve space are not universal practice. Current environment-ministry and metropolitan-park rules show that venues may prohibit unattended space-saving, fire, tents, amplified sound, or abandoned rubbish. Peak plans must also consider crowding, last transport, accessibility, and weather. The course retains language such as 桜前線, 花見, 場所取り, 行楽地, and 人でいっぱい without publishing fixed bloom dates or encouraging space reservation.
- 今年の 開花予想を 確認します。I will check this year's bloom forecast.
- 無人で 場所を 取らないでください。Do not reserve space unattended.
- 混雑しているので、別の 時間に 行こうと 思います。It is crowded, so I intend to go at another time.