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Activities: "The volitional form in Japanese"

By: Mayumi Ito

Activity 1: Form the volitional

Let’s begin with reviewing how to express our volition in Japanese! Read each situation and use the given verb/verb phrase to form a short sentence. Don’t forget to change the shape of the verb if necessary!

Part I

Let’s use the volitional form of verbs in the following sentences!

  1. You are a student studying at a Japanese language school in Tokyo. One day, you decide you need a vacation and take off to a hot spring town. Next morning, you wake up refreshed after a good night's sleep at a small Japanese-style inn and tell yourself what to do first.

    Verb: お風呂に入ってくる transcribed ofuro ni haitte kurumeaning to go to take a bath

    朝ごはんのまえにお風呂に入って。
    Asagohan no mae ni ofuro ni haitte ___.
    Before breakfast, I’ll go to take a bath.

  2. In the lobby, the friendly front desk staff asks you what you are up to today. You tell them what you are thinking.

    Verb: 登る transcribed noborumeaning to climb

    近くの山にと思っています。
    Chikaku no yama ni ___ to omotte imasu.
    I think I’ll climb the mountain nearby.

  3. You are at the mountain top. The view is spectacular! You are, however, tired. You wonder aloud whether to take the aerial tram called ロープウエー transcribed rōpu’uēi to descend the mountain.

    Verb: 降りる transcribed orirumeaning to descend

    ロープウエーでか。
    Rōpu’uē de ___ ka.
    I guess I’ll take the aerial tram to descend.

  4. Before dinner, you try to call some of your friends but no one answers the phone. Disappointed, you write about it in your journal.

    Verb: 電話する transcribed denwa surumeaning to call (on the phone)

    友だちにとしたが、だれも出なかった。
    Tomodachi ni ___ to shita ga, dare mo denakatta.
    I tried to call my friends but no one answered.

Part II

Now let’s practice expressing our volition without the volitional form. Your hot spring adventure continues…

  1. At dinner in the dining hall, you start chatting with a group of friendly fellow guests. One of them asks you how many more nights you are staying at the inn. You have already decided to move to another hot spring town tomorrow and have no intention to change the plan. Let’s tell them about your decision in a concise manner!

    Verb: 移る transcribed utsurumeaning to move; relocate

    あした、別の温泉町に。
    Ashita betsu no onsen machi ni ___.
    I’ll relocate to another hot spring town tomorrow.

  2. After dinner, one of your friends calls you and asks you when you are coming back to Tokyo. You tell them you don’t intend to return until next Wednesday.

    Verb: 戻る transcribed modorumeaning to return

    来週の水曜日までつもり。
    Raishū no suiyōbi made ___ tsumori.
    I intend not to return until next Wednesday.

  3. When your friend hears your intention, they tell you that your kind landlord (大家さん transcribed ōyasan) is worried about your whereabouts. Feeling guilty, you decide to send your landlord an email to let them know where you are and tell your decision to your friend.

    Verb: 知らせる transcribed shiraserumeaning to inform; let (someone) know

    メールで大家さんににするよ。
    Mēru de ōyasan ni ___ ni suru yo.
    I’ll let my landlord know (where I am) via email.

Activity 2: Pick the correct form

Read each sentence and choose the correct answer.

  1. Context: The speaker is talking to themselves.

    わあ、いい天気！今日は１日中外で （ ・ ） 。 Wā, ii tenki! Kyō wa ichinichijū soto de ( asobu / asobō ). Wow, nice weather! I’m going to play outside all day today.

  2. Context: The speaker is writing in their diary.

    １月１日：今日から日記を （ ・ ） と思う。 Ichigatsu tsuitachi: Kyō kara nikki o ( tsukeyō / tsukeru ) to omou. January 1st: I think I’ll keep a diary starting today.

  3. Context: The speaker is talking to their coworkers.

    社長の命令で、今夜から大阪に出張する ( ・ ) です。 Shachō no meirei de, kon’ya kara Ōsaka ni shutchō suru ( tsumori / yotei ) desu. I’ll leave for Osaka tonight on a business trip by order of our company president.

  4. Context: The speaker is talking to their friends.

    田中さんは来年結婚しようと （ ・ ） そうだよ。 Tanaka san wa rainen kekkon shiyō to ( omou / omotte iru ) sō da yo. I’ve heard that Mr. Tanaka thinks he will get married next year.

  5. Context: The speaker's coworker has asked if they have weekend plans.

    ええ、友達とスキーに行く （ ・ ) 。 Ē, tomodachi to sukii ni iku ( koto ni shimasu / koto ni shimashita ). Yes, I’ve decided to go skiing with my friends.

  6. Context: The speaker's classmate has asked about their post-grad plans.

    いや、留学しようかと （ ・ ） んだ。 Iya, ryūgaku shiyō ka to ( omou / omotte iru ) n da. No, I think maybe I’ll go study abroad.

  7. Context: The speaker's roommate has informed them that it's raining outside.

    え、ほんと？じゃあ、かさを持って行く （ ・ ） よ。 E, honto? Jā, kasa o motte iku ( tsumori da / koto ni suru ) yo. Oh, really? Well then, I’ll take my umbrella with me.

  8. Context: The speaker is talking to their former professor.

    先生、同窓会へは （ ・ ） か。 Sensei, dōsōkai e wa ( irasshaimasu / irassharu tsumori desu ) ka. Professor, are you coming to our class reunion?

Activity 3: Form sentences

Answer the following questions. The translation is not given, but key words are provided. The correct answer varies, depending on what’s in your mind!!
  1. 今日はこれから何をするつもりですか。
    Transcription: Kyō wa kore kara nani o suru tsumori desu ka.

    Key words: 今日 transcribed kyōmeaning today, これから transcribed kore karameaning after this (lit. "from now")

  2. あしたの朝は何時に起きようと思っていますか。
    Transcription: Ashita no asa wa nan ji ni okiyō to omotte imasu ka.

    Key words: あしたの朝 transcribed ashita no asameaning tomorrow morning, 何時 transcribed nanjimeaning what time, 起きる transcribed okirumeaning to get up

  3. 今週末、買い物に行きますか。
    Transcription: Konshūmatsu, kaimono ni ikimasu ka.
    if yes:
    何を買うつもりですか。
    Transcription: Nani o kau tsumori desu ka.
    if no:
    今週末は何をしますか。
    Transcription: Konshūmatsu wa nani o shimasu ka.

    Key words: 今週末 transcribed konshūmatsumeaning this weekend, 買い物 transcribed kaimonomeaning shopping, 買う transcribed kaumeaning to buy

    • Yes:

    • No:

  4. 今年どこかへ旅行に行く予定ですか。
    Transcription: Kotoshi dokoka e ryokō ni iku yotei desu ka.
    if yes:
    どこへ行くつもりですか。
    Transcription: Doko e iku tsumori desu ka.
    if no:
    お金と時間があれば、どこへ行こうと思いますか。
    Transcription: Okane to jikan ga areba, doko e ikō to omoimasu ka.

    Key words: 今年 transcribed kotoshimeaning this year, どこか transcribed dokokameaning somewhere, 旅行に行く transcribed ryokō ni ikumeaning to travel; to take a trip, お金と時間があれば transcribed okane to jikan ga arebameaning if you have money and time

    • Yes:

    • No: