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?
2 Answers
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.
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! :)
