Hi guys I’m studying genki 2.
Im struggling understanding the difference of volitional + と思っています and つもりです
In the first genki it teached past + tsumori
And now this one. Whats the difference? I’m finding too many chapters with too similar grammar structures…
勉強しようと思っています。
勉強するつもりです。
Whats the difference?
Why they don’t teach you very different grammar structures and not so many similar things… It’s starting to become hard to retain
Thankss
3 comments
Someone can correct me if Im wrong but my understanding is that tsumori is a firm plan while youtoomou is more of a “i think i will do..”, so its slightly more uncertain
Natural languages often have multiple ways to express the same thing. Or nearly similar things.
Like, English has both “if” and “when.” They’re certainly different, but the difference is very hard to explain simply and correctly. Or we say both “I’ve gotta do that” and “I have to do that” – is there even a difference? I’m not sure!
A textbook can only give you a surface-level understanding of the tools that exist in a language. The next stage beyond that is that you have to observe how people actually use those tools. Because you’re still in the “learning about language” stage, it’s not fair to expect yourself to feel differences in nuance yet.
I’ll give you my vibe about it, take it as you may.
勉強しようと思っています = I imagine a guy sitting on a chair looking up in thought thinking “hmm, maybe I should study”
勉強するつもりだ = I imagine a guy hyping himself with with his hand in a fist going “alright! I’m gonna study!”