We haven’t learned this in class yet. Structure wise, its not too bad, but there are a lot of nuanced uses.

Sources:

Wikipedia on Verb Conjucations

Self Taught Japanese

MaggieSensei

Volitional Form

Structure: Modify verbals in the following way

Formal - Take verbal in distal ます-form, drop ます, change to ましょう

Informal - For Ichidan, drop る, add よう. For Godan, change ending kana to the corresponding お sound and add う.

Informal Exceptions - する => しよう, and くる => こよう


Uses: Often used similar to “let’s” in English. But theres quite a few other uses. The verb really represents “volition”, which is essetially human will or intention.

1 - Making a suggestion. The suggestion is usually for other people including oneself, but can be solely for other people, or oneself. Dependent on the context. Has more of a meaning of “I want this to happen, so let’s do it”.

行きましょう - “Let’s go” / “Shall we go”. Suggests idea to other person, but also gives the meaning that you have decided to do this already. Already made up your volition.

座りましょうか - “Why don’t you sit down” / “Why don’t we sit down”

これを買おう - “Let’s buy this one”

今から散歩しよう - “(I think) I’ll go for a walk now”. Indicates one’s intention or will of going on a walk. Less certain than just using simple present tense.

明日までに宿題をしましょう - “(Let’s) Do your homework by tomorrow”. Sounds much softer than the command version. More encouraging. NOTE: Don’t say to superiors. Used very often in advertisements.

You can add the particles or use inflection to alter the emphasis

食べましょうよ - “Let’s eat already…”

しようか - “Shall we do it?”

お酒をつぎましょうか - “Shall I pour you some sake?”

2 - When thinking out loud while debating choices or expressing what you will / try to do.

どのゲーム買おうかね - “(I wonder) Which game shall I buy…”

また学校に行こうと思っている - “I’m thinking of going to school again”

大会に行こうと決めた - “I decided to go to the anime convention”. This is past tense of you deciding something.

あんな男はもう忘れよう - “I’ll just forget about that guy” / “Let’s just forget about that guy”

彼と行こうと思っている - “I’m thinking of going with him” / “I’m thinking I shall go with him”. Notice the volition in choosing what you will do.

3 - Along with ている to continually do something.

上っていよう - “Let’s keep climbing up”

毎日、一緒に勉強していようね - “Let’s study together everyday, okay?”

4 - Offering to do something for someone. You can shoehorn “let’s” in there. But this usuage is quite common.

それでは私が彼に話しましょう - “In that case, let me (let’s) talk to him”

絵を描きましょう - “Let me (let’s) draw a picture”

? - Other uses. There are some other obsure ones that I’m not quite sure how to apply since I haven’t learned their grammar points yet. Here are a few.

あなたが何をしようが自由です - “You are free to do whatever you like”. Here しよう, is used (as a nominal i guess?) to mean “to do what you wish / will / intent”, heavily related to volition.

何をしようとしてるの - “What are you trying to do?”. IDK the ~としてる form or the の sentence particle yet.

行こうと思ってる - “I was thinking of going”. Can use with と + other verbs.

小さかった娘も、２０歳になろうとしている - “My little daughter is turning 20 now”. Used for something that is about to happen. Usually operational verbal or involves you somehow.

電車に乗ろうとしたらドアが閉まった - “Just as I was trying to get on the train, the door closed”. Trying to do something. Again, notice the volition. Link with とする. idk that structure tho

See MaggieSensei/SelfTaughtJapanese link for more obscure uses and add if we see. Apparently this is used a lot. Just remember it has to do with volition.

Volitional + っと`

Structure: Take volitional form, add っと. Optionally, you can drop the う at the end of the volitional form

Uses: Only in spoken. Used to express what you are going to do. Can use whether talking to yourself or announcing it.

勉強しよおっと - “I am going to study now”

もう帰ろっと - “I am going to go home now”

Using with Other Forms

Can use with causative or passive form.

But not with potential form

// TODO: after we study these forms, update this




Vocab:

Here are some kanji from the lessons that I wasn’t really familiar with at this point:

殺す - The second radical means weapon. Treasure + Angel + Weapon = kill? Means “to kill”. Pronounced “korosu”

逃げる - Means “to escape” / “to run away”. Pronounced “nigeru”

忘れる - Means to forget. Pronounced “wasureru”. Radicals “death” and “heart”.