Japanese for Elementary Learners: Discussing an Upcoming Trip to Japan
Learn to talk about a future trip to Japan using 行く (iku) and つもり (tsumori), share a simple itinerary, and distinguish a big trip from a weekend plan.
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In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about an upcoming trip to Japan. You will use the verb 行く (iku, 'to go') and the pattern 行くつもりです (iku tsumori desu, 'I intend to go') to express a future plan. You will also learn to share a simple itinerary with days and activities, and to explain how a big trip differs from a weekend plan by using words like 大きい (ōkii, 'big') and 長い (nagai, 'long'). By the end, you will be able to say when you are going, how long you will stay, and what you will do there.
By the end, you can…
- say when I am going to Japan using 来月 (raigetsu) and 行くつもりです (iku tsumori desu).
- share a simple itinerary with days and activities.
- explain that a trip is bigger and longer than a weekend plan.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
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来月、日本に行くつもりです。
I intend to go to Japan next month.
Raigetsu, Nihon ni iku tsumori desu.
Use this to state a future travel intention. 来月 (raigetsu) means 'next month'; 行く (iku) is the plain (dictionary) form of 'go'; つもりです (tsumori desu) adds intention.
一週間ぐらい滞在します。
I will stay for about one week.
Isshūkan gurai taizai shimasu.
滞在します (taizai shimasu) is a polite verb meaning 'to stay'. Use ぐらい (gurai) to mean 'about' or 'approximately'.
東京と京都に行きます。
I will go to Tokyo and Kyoto.
Tōkyō to Kyōto ni ikimasu.
Use と (to) to connect two destinations. に (ni) marks the destination of 行きます (ikimasu).
週末の予定より大きい旅行です。
It is a bigger trip than a weekend plan.
Shūmatsu no yotei yori ōkii ryokō desu.
より (yori) means 'than'. 大きい (ōkii) means 'big'. This sentence compares a trip to a weekend plan, though 予定 (yotei, 'plan') is an abstract noun and 旅行 (ryokō, 'trip') would be more natural as the thing being compared.
長い休みを取ります。
I will take a long holiday.
Nagai yasumi o torimasu.
長い (nagai) means 'long'. 休み (yasumi) means 'holiday' or 'break'. 取ります (torimasu) means 'take' (as in take time off).
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To express a future intention, use the plain (dictionary) form of a verb + つもりです (tsumori desu). For example, 行く (iku, 'go') becomes 行くつもりです (iku tsumori desu, 'I intend to go'). To say when, add a time word like 来月 (raigetsu, 'next month') or 来週 (raishū, 'next week') at the beginning. To share an itinerary, use the pattern [place] に行きます (ni ikimasu) for 'I will go to [place]', and [activity] をします (o shimasu) for 'I will do [activity]'. For example, 京都でお寺を見ます (Kyōto de otera o mimasu, 'I will see temples in Kyoto').
When to use it
Use つもりです (tsumori desu) when you have already decided on a plan. It is stronger than just saying 行きます (ikimasu, 'I will go'), which can sound like a simple future fact. For a trip that is bigger and longer than a weekend plan, use 大きい (ōkii, 'big') and 長い (nagai, 'long'). For example, 週末の旅行は短いですが、今回は長いです (Shūmatsu no ryokō wa mijikai desu ga, konkai wa nagai desu, 'A weekend trip is short, but this time it is long'). Use より (yori) to make a comparison: 週末より大きい (shūmatsu yori ōkii, 'bigger than a weekend').
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
来月、日本に行くつもりです。
I intend to go to Japan next month.Raigetsu, Nihon ni iku tsumori desu.いいですね。どのぐらい滞在しますか。
That's nice. How long will you stay?Ii desu ne. Dono gurai taizai shimasu ka.一週間ぐらいです。東京と京都に行きます。
About one week. I will go to Tokyo and Kyoto.Isshūkan gurai desu. Tōkyō to Kyōto ni ikimasu.週末の予定より大きい旅行ですね。
It's a bigger trip than a weekend plan, isn't it?Shūmatsu no yotei yori ōkii ryokō desu ne.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese, when talking about future plans, it is common to use つもりです (tsumori desu) to show that you have made a decision. This is softer than saying 行きます (ikimasu), which can sound like a firm promise. Also, when sharing an itinerary, Japanese speakers often use ～ぐらい (gurai) to mean 'about' to avoid sounding too exact. For example, 一週間ぐらい (isshūkan gurai) means 'about one week'. This shows flexibility and is considered polite in casual conversation.
One thing to watch for
Using 行くつもりです (iku tsumori desu) for a plan you just thought of now.
Try this instead: つもりです (tsumori desu) is for plans you have already decided. If you just decided, use 行こうと思います (ikō to omoimasu, 'I think I'll go'). For example, 日本に行こうと思います (Nihon ni ikō to omoimasu) means 'I think I'll go to Japan' and sounds more spontaneous.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I intend to go to Japan next month' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
来月、日本に行くつもりです。
This uses 来月 (raigetsu) for 'next month', 日本に (Nihon ni) for 'to Japan', and 行くつもりです (iku tsumori desu) for 'intend to go'. You could also say 来月、日本へ行くつもりです (raigetsu, Nihon e iku tsumori desu) using へ (e) instead of に (ni); both are correct.
2How do you say 'I will stay for about one week'?
Show a sample answer
一週間ぐらい滞在します。
一週間 (isshūkan) means 'one week', ぐらい (gurai) means 'about', and 滞在します (taizai shimasu) means 'will stay'. You can also use 泊まります (tomarimasu) for 'will stay overnight', but 滞在します is more formal and suitable for a trip.
3How do you say 'It is a bigger trip than a weekend plan'?
Show a sample answer
週末の予定より大きい旅行です。
週末の予定 (shūmatsu no yotei) means 'weekend plan', より (yori) means 'than', and 大きい旅行 (ōkii ryokō) means 'big trip'. You could also say 週末の旅行より大きいです (shūmatsu no ryokō yori ōkii desu) meaning 'It is bigger than a weekend trip'; both are correct.
Use 行くつもりです (iku tsumori desu) to talk about a decided future trip, add ぐらい (gurai) for approximate durations, and compare with より (yori) to show your trip is bigger and longer than a weekend plan.
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