Difference between "つもりです" and "予定です"

Question

I recently learned about both of them meaning "I intend/plan to..." but I don't know the difference between the two. Can someone explain?

Answer 1

Do you understand the difference between an intention and a plan?

つもり is just your intention. You don't necessarily have a plan. Stating an intention doesn't mean you need to go through with it.

よてい is a plan. You've made a commitment to do something, with just yourself, with someone else, either way. Not following through on a plan suggests you're perhaps not someone who can be counted on.

On a scale of definiteness, it seems to me that

行こうと思っている

is the least definite;

行くつもりだ

sounds a bit more definite;

行く予定だ

sounds definite.

Answer 2

つもり is used when you are intending to do something, whereas 予定 is used when you have a definite plan.

The structures are both: plain form verb + つもり/予定

However, 予定 is often used when explaining a reason, for example when you can't go somewhere because you have a previous commitment or plan.

For example:

いつか、日本に行くつもりです。 Someday, I intend to go to Japan

来年、日本に行く予定です。 Next year, I plan to go to Japan

来年、日本に行く予定なので、アメリカにいけない、ごめんなさい。 Well, you see, I have planned to go to Japan next year, so I can't go to America, sorry.

The なの in this sentence is used because you are explaining what you have planned.

I hope this helps! :)