意向形
🃏 Flashcard
意向形
ikou kei
Tap to reveal usage
volitional form; let's do ~
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
ikou kei
Post ID
50703
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
volitional form; let's do ~
📖 How to use it
Expresses suggestion or invitation to do something together, like 'let's do ~'.
Attaches to
The volitional form is made from the verb's dictionary form group: for u-verbs, change the final u to ō (e.g., 行く → 行こう); for ru-verbs, drop the ru and add yō (e.g., 食べる → 食べよう); for irregulars: する → しよう, 来る → こよう.
The volitional form is used to suggest doing something with others or to express your own intention. It's the 'let's' form. For example, if you want to propose going to eat, you say 食べに行こう. This is a very common, everyday pattern used among friends, family, and colleagues. It's not rude, but it's casual and friendly. In more formal situations, you might use ましょう instead, but 意向形 is fine for most social settings. When using this form, you're including yourself in the suggestion, so it's not used for ordering someone else to do something.
映画を見に行こう。
Eiga o mi ni ikou.
Let's go see a movie.
一緒に昼ご飯を食べよう。
Issho ni hiru gohan o tabeyou.
Let's eat lunch together.
週末に京都へ行こう。
Shuumatsu ni Kyoto e ikou.
Let's go to Kyoto this weekend.
Not ましょう (mashou)
ましょう is the polite version, used in formal situations or with people you're not close to. 意向形 is plain and casual. For example, to a boss you'd say 行きましょう, but to a friend you'd say 行こう.
Register
Spoken, casual to neutral; appropriate for conversations with friends, family, and colleagues, but not for formal writing or very polite speech.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
意向形
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 意向形 three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using 意向形. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 意向形 mean?
▼
Volitional form; let's do ~
What JLPT level is 意向形?
▼
Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use 意向形 in a sentence?
▼
Attach 意向形 (ikou kei) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is 意向形 formal or casual Japanese?
▼
意向形 is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember 意向形 long-term?
▼
Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.