Talking About Your Own Weekend Plans in Japanese: Hiking or Relaxing at Home
Learn to say what you will do this weekend in Japanese using future forms, focusing on your own schedule rather than inviting others.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about your own upcoming weekend activities in Japanese, such as going hiking or just relaxing at home. Unlike making plans with someone else, this focuses on describing your own schedule. You will use the polite ます-form of verbs with time words like 週末 (shūmatsu, weekend) and 予定 (yotei, plan). By the end, you will be able to state what you are going to do, ask someone about their plans, and respond naturally.
By the end, you can…
- say what I will do this weekend using the ます-form.
- ask someone about their weekend plans politely.
- distinguish between talking about my own plans and inviting someone.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
週末は山に登りに行きます。
I'm going hiking this weekend.
Shūmatsu wa yama ni nobori ni ikimasu.
Use に after the verb stem 登り to express purpose: 'go in order to climb'. 山 (yama) means mountain.
週末は家でゆっくりします。
I'm just relaxing at home this weekend.
Shūmatsu wa ie de yukkuri shimasu.
ゆっくりします means 'take it easy' or 'relax'. で marks the location of action.
土曜日にハイキングに行く予定です。
I plan to go hiking on Saturday.
Doyōbi ni haikingu ni iku yotei desu.
予定です (yotei desu) means 'it is a plan' or 'I plan to'. Use it after a dictionary-form verb.
日曜日は何もしません。
I won't do anything on Sunday.
Nichiyōbi wa nani mo shimasen.
何もしません means 'won't do anything'. も with a negative verb gives 'not anything'.
週末は何をしますか。
What will you do this weekend?
Shūmatsu wa nani o shimasu ka.
A polite question to ask about someone's plans. か at the end makes it a question.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To talk about your own future plans, use the ます-form of a verb with a time expression. For example, 週末は山に登りに行きます (Shūmatsu wa yama ni nobori ni ikimasu) means 'I'm going hiking this weekend.' The pattern is: [time] は [place] に [verb stem] に行きます. For 'relaxing at home', use 家でゆっくりします (ie de yukkuri shimasu). To express a plan, add 予定です after a dictionary-form verb: ハイキングに行く予定です (haikingu ni iku yotei desu) means 'I plan to go hiking.'
When to use it
Use these forms when you are describing your own schedule, not inviting someone. For example, if a friend asks 週末は何をしますか (Shūmatsu wa nani o shimasu ka, 'What will you do this weekend?'), you can answer 山に登りに行きます (yama ni nobori ni ikimasu) or 家でゆっくりします (ie de yukkuri shimasu). If you want to invite someone, you would use a different form like 一緒に行きませんか (issho ni ikimasen ka, 'Won't you go together?'). So be careful: the plain ます-form states your own plan, while the negative question form invites.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
週末は何をしますか。
What will you do this weekend?Shūmatsu wa nani o shimasu ka.土曜日にハイキングに行く予定です。
I plan to go hiking on Saturday.Doyōbi ni haikingu ni iku yotei desu.いいですね。日曜日は？
That sounds nice. How about Sunday?Ii desu ne. Nichiyōbi wa?日曜日は家でゆっくりします。
On Sunday, I'll just relax at home.Nichiyōbi wa ie de yukkuri shimasu.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese, talking about your own plans often uses softer expressions to avoid sounding like you are boasting or imposing. For example, ゆっくりします (yukkuri shimasu) is a modest way to say you are relaxing. When asking about someone's plans, 週末は何をしますか is neutral and polite. Avoid using casual forms with strangers or superiors; use ます-form. Also, 予定です is common in both casual and formal contexts to express a plan.
One thing to watch for
Using 週末は山に登りに行きませんか to state your own plan.
Try this instead: That form is an invitation: 'Won't you go hiking this weekend?' To state your own plan, say 週末は山に登りに行きます (Shūmatsu wa yama ni nobori ni ikimasu). The negative question invites others, while the positive ます-form states your own action.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I'm going hiking this weekend' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
週末は山に登りに行きます。
This uses the ます-form 行きます with the purpose marker に. Alternative: 週末はハイキングに行きます is also correct.
2How do you say 'I plan to relax at home on Sunday'?
Show a sample answer
日曜日は家でゆっくりする予定です。
予定です after the dictionary form する expresses a plan. You can also say 日曜日は家でゆっくりします, which is simpler.
3What is the difference between 週末は何をしますか and 一緒に行きませんか?
Show a sample answer
The first asks about someone's plans; the second invites someone to go together.
何をしますか is a neutral question about plans. 行きませんか is a negative question used for invitations. Both are polite, but they serve different functions.
Use the ます-form with time words to describe your own weekend plans. Add 予定です for 'I plan to'. Remember: stating your plan is not the same as inviting someone.
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