Volitional form

Level 3Sounds Like ikoukatachi

The Volitional Form (意向形 - いこうけい) is the casual way to say 'Let's do something' or to express a personal intention ('I think I'll...'). It is the informal counterpart to the polite ～ましょう form.

How It Works

The conjugation rules depend on the verb group:

Group 1 (Godan): Change the final syllable to its o-column equivalent and add う.

  • 行く（いく）→ 行こう
  • 話す（はなす）→ 話そう
  • 待つ（まつ）→ 待とう

Group 2 (Ichidan): Replace the final る with よう.

  • 食べる（たべる）→ 食べよう
  • 見る（みる）→ 見よう

Group 3 (Irregular):

  • する → しよう
  • 来る（くる）→ こよう (Note: The reading of the kanji changes from 「く」 to 「こ」)

Polite Form: The polite counterpart is 〜ましょう. It is formed by replacing the ます of the ます-form with ましょう (e.g., 食べます → 食べましょう).

Usage Notes:
1. Adding か (e.g., 食べようか) turns the suggestion into an invitational question ('Shall we?').
2. While the base volitional form is primarily for the speaker's own suggestions or intentions, the 〜ようと思っている pattern is a valid way to describe the intentions of a third party.
3. When combined with 〜ようと思う, it expresses a decision made at the moment. In contrast, 〜ようと思っている indicates an intention held for some time.

Examples (4)

  1. お腹が空いたね。何か食べよう。

    I'm hungry. Let's eat something.

    Word by Word: Stomach (subject) got empty, right. Something let's eat.

    This is a classic casual suggestion between friends.

  2. 明日からは、もっと早く起きよう。

    From tomorrow, I will wake up earlier.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow from, more early let's wake up.

    Here, the volitional form expresses a personal resolution or determination.

  3. 来年、日本に行こうと思っています。

    I am thinking of going to Japan next year.

    Word by Word: Next year, Japan to let's go (quotation) am thinking.

    The volitional form is used here as the base for expressing a planned intention.

  4. ちょっと休もうか。

    Shall we rest for a bit?

    Word by Word: A little let's rest (question)?

    Adding the particle か makes the suggestion a question ('Shall we?').

Common Mistakes

  • Using the volitional form for third-person intentions without a quoting or thinking structure.

    田中さんは明日行こう。
    田中さんは明日行こうと思っているそうです。

    You cannot use the plain volitional form alone to state someone else's intent directly. You must use a structure like 〜と思っている or a quotation to express what another person intends to do.

  • Applying Group 1 rules to Group 2 verbs.

    食べろう
    食べよう

    Learners often try to change the 「る」 to 「ろ」 + 「う」 for Ichidan verbs. Remember that Ichidan verbs always drop the 「る」 and add 「よう」.

How It Connects

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Volitional formLevel 3

Learn This First

To learn the volitional form (意向形), you must first understand how Japanese verbs are categorized into groups, as the conjugation rules change for each. It is also helpful to be familiar with the polite 'ましょう' form, as the volitional form serves the same purpose in casual speech.

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Words in This Pattern

う