How do I express intention and ask about someone else's? [closed]

Question

How do I ask questions about someone's intention like "do you plan on coming back?" In Japanese?

Answer 1

There are couple of forms to express intentions at least. I guess this three does not cover all story, but they are quite common.

1. Volitional form と思{おも}っています (or 思{おも}います) - This one is "I think I am going to" version.
2. Plain form よていです - This one is "I plan to" version.
3. Plain form つもりです - This one is also "I am going to" but there's more certainty to it. As if speaking person is really into it.

Volitional form creation rules. (See http://tangorin.com/ dictionary for verbs conjugation table.)

• U-verbs: ~u → ~ou (よむ → よもう, かえる → かえろう, いく → いこう, かう → かおう, たつ → たとう)
• RU-verbs: ~る → ~よう (たべる → たべよう, ねる → ねよう)
• exceptions: する → しよう, くる → こよう

If you'd like to ask someone about his intentions you just add か at the end as in any other sentence.

• この本{ほん}を読{よ}もうと思{おも}っています。 - I'm going to read this book. (Literally: I am thinking to go.)
• この本{ほん}を読{よ}もうと思{おも}っていますか。 - Are you going to read this book? (Literally: Are you thinking to go?)
• 買{か}い物{もの}に行{い}くよていです。 - I am going to go shopping. (Literally: I plan to.)
• 買{か}い物{もの}に行{い}くよていですか。 - Are you going to go shopping? (As above, literally: Are you planning to?)
• 空手{からて}を習{なら}うつもりです。 - I am going to learn karate. (Firm statement, high level of certainty.)
• 空手{からて}を習{なら}うつもりですか。 - Are you going to learn karate? (Can be rude in some circumstances. Like, someone may get the feeling that you're questioning his intention.)

Answer 2

The relevant vocabulary you need is つもり. It expresses intention.

• また来るつもりだ (plan on coming back (literally it reads "again"))
• 帰るつもりだ (intend to return (home))
• 戻るつもりだ (intend to go back)

Then change the sentence to a question, either by dropping だ and adding a questioning tone, or by using ですか