Express future plans and intentions.
Japanese has no separate future tense; the present tense covers it, with time words for clarity.
Intention:
| Japanese | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 明日 | Tomorrow | 明日、勉強します。 |
| つもり | Intend to | 日本に行くつもりです。 |
| 来年 | Next year | 来年、卒業します。 |
| 予定 | Plan / schedule | 週末の予定は？ |
| そろそろ | Soon / it's about time | そろそろ行きます。 |
| 将来 | The future | 将来、先生になりたいです。 |
| Word | Phonetic | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 明日 | Means "tomorrow" | |
| つもり | Expresses intention/plan | |
| 来年 | Means "next year" |
Present = future: The polite 〜ます form expresses both present and future. Context and time words (明日, 来年) show which one is meant.
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