第135課: The Volitional I
Volition is the speaker’s will to do or not do something. In Japanese, there are both affirmative and negative volitional forms. For starters, we will learn about the endings used to create affirmative volitional statements.
Plain Speech Affirmative Volitional Endings: ～よう & ～う
As far as meaning is concerned, the affirmative volitional form either translates as “let’s” or “I will.” If the statement implies participation from others, then the former interpretation is intended. If the statement doesn’t imply the participation of others, then the latter interpretation is intended.
Although verbs aren’t the only things that have volitional forms, we will limit our discussion to verbal volitional phrases for now. In plain speech, there are two auxiliary verbs used to create the affirmative volitional form: ～よう & ～う. The only difference between ～よう and ～う is what class of verbs they’re used with.
Conjugation Chart
| /iru/-Ending Ichidan Verbs | 見る + よう → | 見よう | Let’s/I’ll see |
| /eru/-Ending Ichidan Verbs | 食べる + よう → | 食べよう | Let’s/I’ll eat |
| /u/-Ending Godan Verbs | 買う + う → | 買おう | Let’s/I’ll buy |
| /ku/-Ending Godan Verbs | 書く + う → | 書こう | Let’s/I’ll write |
| /gu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 泳ぐ + う → | 泳ごう | Let’s/I’ll swim |
| /su/-Ending Godan Verbs | 話す + う → | 話そう | Let’s/I’ll talk |
| /tsu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 勝つ + う → | 勝とう | Let’s/I’ll win |
| /nu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 死ぬ + う → | 死のう | Let’s/I shall die |
| /mu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 読む + う → | 読もう | Let’s/I’ll read |
| /ru/-Ending Godan Verbs | 図る + う → | 図ろう | Let’s/I’ll devise |
| Suru Verbs | する + よう → | しよう | Let’s/I’ll do |
| Kuru | 来る + よう → | 来（こ）よう | Let’s/I’ll come |
Translation Note: In English, it is not always the case that “I will” is the best phrasing to indicate personal volition to do something, especially since it also functions as the future tense auxiliary. Whenever this is the case, “shall” can be a better working translation of the affirmative volitional auxiliaries of Japanese.
Pronunciation Note: In casual speech, the final う at the end of these forms may be heard omitted.
One’s Volition/Will
The main usage of these endings is to express one’s volition/will to do something. This is referred to as the 意志形 in Japanese. This is either used in a sense of including those around you or simply used to solely indicate one’s own intention.
1. 寿司を食べよう。
I’ll eat sushi/Let’s eat sushi.
2. これだけははっきりとさせておこう。
Let’s get this (much) straight.
3. 少し休もうか。
How about taking a rest for a while?
4. もう間に合わないから、ゆっくりしよう。
It’s not that we have to make it on time. So, let’s go slowly.
Word Note: 間に合う should only be used with time.
5. さらに食べようっていうの？
You’re going to eat on top of this?
6. 出かけよう{では・じゃ｝ないか？
Why don’t we go out?
Grammar Note: ～ようでは・じゃないか can also make a volitional question.
7. 中国語を勉強しようか。
How about I/we study Chinese?
8. 食事を済ませてから、外に出よう。
Let’s go outside after we finish dinner.
9. この電車は込んでるから、次のに乗ろう。(Colloquial)
Since this train is crowded, let’s get on the next one.
Determination/Volition of Others
～（よ）うと思います shows that oneself is now determined to do something. In contrast, ～（よ）うと思っています either shows that oneself has made the decision to do something some time ago or the volition of others.
10. 姉は中国で日本語を教えようと思っています。
My older sister is thinking about teaching Japanese in China.
11. ハワイに行こうと思います。
I think I’m going to Hawaii.
12. 奨学金をもらおうと考えています。
I’m considering receiving scholarship money.
13. 将来は映画監督になろうと思っている。
I’m thinking of becoming a movie director in the future.
Likelihood (Old-Fashioned Speech)
A meaning that has fallen out of use but is still seen in old-fashioned speech and literature is the ability to show likelihood. This has largely been replaced with のだろう, which combines だ and ～う, as we will see again later in this lesson. Though this meaning is largely defunct, it can be distinguished from the others by not just differences in tone but also by context. This meaning of the volitional endings involves statements about state, not an action in which the speaker has control over.
14a. 長時間歩いたのでお腹もすいていよう。（Old-fashioned)
14b. 長時間歩いたのでお腹もすいているのだろう。
You’re also probably starving because you’ve been walking for so long.
15a. 彼らは指摘できよう。(Old-fashioned)
15b. 彼らは指摘できるのだろう。
They’ll probably be able to point it out.
There are some grammatical instances where this meaning of the volitional endings lives on in modern language use. These instances include the patterns ～（よ）うはずがない and （よ）うものなら.
16. そんなことがあろうはずがない。
Such a thing should not happen.
17. 黙っていようものなら、自滅するぞ。
If you are to remain quiet, you will end yourself.
Rhetorical Questions
Another usage of these endings is making rhetorical questions when followed by the rhetorical question-marker か. In this situation, か has a sharp drop in pitch. This usage has largely been replaced by ～のだろうか, which incidentally also uses the auxiliary ～う.
18a. 許されようか。（Old-fashioned)
18b. 許されるのだろうか。
Will [I/you/he/she/it] really be forgiven?
19a. 彼はそれができようか。(Old-fashioned)
19b. 彼はそれができるのだろうか。
Can he really do that?
No Matter What “…(よ)うが”, “…(よ)うと”, “…(よ)うとも”, “(よ)うものなら”, and “…(よ)うにも”, show supposition and is equivalent to “しても”. They are like “no matter what” or “even if”.
20. 家出をしようにもお金がないよ。
Even if run away, you don’t have any money.
21. 真実であろうが嘘であろうが、まだ関係はない。
Whether it’s true or a lie, I still have no part in it.
22. 行こうと行くまいと僕の勝ちだ。
Even if you go or don’t go, it’s my victory.
23. どんなに反対されようが、消費税の引き上げが施行される。
No matter how much it’s protested against, the consumer tax hike will be enforced.
24. どんな苦しみを味わおうが、自分が決めたことは変えたくない。
No matter the suffering I suffer, I won’t want to change what I’ve decided.
25. どれだけお金を損しようが、賭博し続けるよ。
No matter how much money I lose, I’ll continue to gamble.
26. 何をしようと私の知ったことではありません。
Whatever you do, it’s nothing that I know.
27. たとえ雨が降ろうともフットボールをする。
I play football even if it rains.
28. どれだけ時間がかか｛ろうとも・っても｝、彼らを支持します。
I will support them no matter how long it takes.
29. 先生に厚かましくも口答えをしようものなら、大目玉を食らうでしょう。
Should you ever have the nerve to talk back to the teacher, you’ll surely get scolded severely.
30. 火事になろうものなら、大変だぞ。
It would be grave should there be a fire.
Just About To…
～（よ）うとしたら is when “just as one is about to do X, Y happens”. Y is out of your control, and often includes speech modals like ～てしまった and ～きた.
31. 電車に乗ろうとしたら、ドアが閉まってしまいました。
I was about to get on the train when the door (regrettably/accidentally) closed.
32. アイスクリームを買って、歩きながら食べようとしたら、「みっともないですよ」っておこられちゃったし。
When I tried to eat the ice cream I bought while walked, I was scolded and told that it was “indecent”.
33. 喫茶店へ行こうとしたら、雨が降って来た。
Just as I was about to go to the coffee shop, it started to rain.
34. 出かけようとしたら、電話がかかって来た。
Just as I was going to leave, a phone call came.
Polite Speech Affirmative Volitional Ending: ～ましょう
The polite speech equivalent of both ～よう and ～う is ～ましょう. Conjugating with this is the same as with ～ます. In fact, this is just a combination of ～ます + ～う! Meaning-wise, it is not used in all sorts of grammar patterns like its plain speech counterparts. Instead, it is limited to showing “let’s” or “I will/shall.” Very rarely is it used to show likelihood, in which case it behaves just like its plain speech counterparts.
Conjugation Chart
| /iru/-Ending Ichidan Verbs | 見る + ましょう → | 見ましょう | Let’s/I’ll see |
| /eru/-Ending Ichidan Verbs | 食べる + ましょう → | 食べましょう | Let’s/I’ll eat |
| /u/-Ending Godan Verbs | 買う + ましょう → | 買いましょう | Let’s/I’ll buy |
| /ku/-Ending Godan Verbs | 書く + ましょう → | 書きましょう | Let’s/I’ll write |
| /gu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 泳ぐ + ましょう → | 泳ぎましょう | Let’s/I’ll swim |
| /su/-Ending Godan Verbs | 話す + ましょう → | 話しましょう | Let’s/I’ll talk |
| /tsu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 勝つ + ましょう → | 勝ちましょう | Let’s/I’ll win |
| /nu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 死ぬ + ましょう → | 死にましょう | Let’s/I shall die |
| /mu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 読む + ましょう → | 読みましょう | Let’s/I’ll read |
| /ru/-Ending Godan Verbs | 図る + ましょう → | 図りましょう | Let’s/I’ll devise |
| Suru Verbs | する + ましょう → | しましょう | Let’s/I’ll do |
| Kuru | 来る + ましょう → | 来（き）ましょう | Let’s/I’ll come |
Pronunciation Note: Though less polite, the final う in these forms can be heard omitted. It is also possible to hear the しょ pronounced as ひょ in certain dialects, especially traditional Kyoto Dialect speech.
Examples
35. 価格を下げることで売り上げが伸びるように定価から2千円を割り引きましょう。
In lowering prices in order to boost sales, let’s knock off 2000 yen from the price.
36. 乾杯しましょう。
Cheers!
37. 私から電話しましょうか。
Shall I call?
Particle Note: This usage of から may be replaced with が.
38. 一緒に外食しましょう。
Let’s go out to eat together.
39. 早速出かけましょう！
Let’s head out at once!
40. 世にある限り最善を尽しましょう。
Let’s do our best to live in this world as much as possible.
Phrase Note: 世にある means “to live in this world”.
| /iru/-Ending Ichidan Verbs | 見る + よう → | 見よう | Let’s/I’ll see |
| /eru/-Ending Ichidan Verbs | 食べる + よう → | 食べよう | Let’s/I’ll eat |
| /u/-Ending Godan Verbs | 買う + う → | 買おう | Let’s/I’ll buy |
| /ku/-Ending Godan Verbs | 書く + う → | 書こう | Let’s/I’ll write |
| /gu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 泳ぐ + う → | 泳ごう | Let’s/I’ll swim |
| /su/-Ending Godan Verbs | 話す + う → | 話そう | Let’s/I’ll talk |
| /tsu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 勝つ + う → | 勝とう | Let’s/I’ll win |
| /nu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 死ぬ + う → | 死のう | Let’s/I shall die |
| /mu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 読む + う → | 読もう | Let’s/I’ll read |
| /ru/-Ending Godan Verbs | 図る + う → | 図ろう | Let’s/I’ll devise |
| Suru Verbs | する + よう → | しよう | Let’s/I’ll do |
| Kuru | 来る + よう → | 来（こ）よう | Let’s/I’ll come |
| /iru/-Ending Ichidan Verbs | 見る + よう → | 見よう | Let’s/I’ll see |
| /eru/-Ending Ichidan Verbs | 食べる + よう → | 食べよう | Let’s/I’ll eat |
| /u/-Ending Godan Verbs | 買う + う → | 買おう | Let’s/I’ll buy |
| /ku/-Ending Godan Verbs | 書く + う → | 書こう | Let’s/I’ll write |
| /gu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 泳ぐ + う → | 泳ごう | Let’s/I’ll swim |
| /su/-Ending Godan Verbs | 話す + う → | 話そう | Let’s/I’ll talk |
| /tsu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 勝つ + う → | 勝とう | Let’s/I’ll win |
| /nu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 死ぬ + う → | 死のう | Let’s/I shall die |
| /mu/-Ending Godan Verbs | 読む + う → | 読もう | Let’s/I’ll read |
| /ru/-Ending Godan Verbs | 図る + う → | 図ろう | Let’s/I’ll devise |
| Suru Verbs | する + よう → | しよう | Let’s/I’ll do |
| Kuru | 来る + よう → | 来（こ）よう | Let’s/I’ll come |
～だろう
～だろう comes from the volitional form of だ. It is often shortened to ～だろ. ～だろう is often not used by females due to the brisk tone it often gives.
1. Used to show guess. It may follow nouns, adjectives, and verbs.
41. 明日は雨が降るだろう。
It will probably rain tomorrow.
42. 結局は悪化するだろう。
It will surely get worse.
43. 出席者は高々10人だろう。
There will be no more than ten attendees.
44. あの様子からして離婚は間近だろう。
Based on that condition, divorce is surely close.
45. 迷惑だろう。
It’s probably a bother.
2. ～だろうか may be used to express personal doubt, especially in one’s inner monologue. This is the case for both men and women, and in this sense, it can be translated as “I wonder…” In the spoken language when paired with a rising intonation, it can be used to direct serious doubt at someone about something or that individual.
46. 何時だろうか。
I wonder what time it is.
47. いつ行うだろうか。
I wonder when he’ll carry it out.
48. 誰が議事堂に行くのだろうか。
Who would go to the Diet?
49. あんな馬鹿な行為が許されるだろうか。
How would such a stupid action be allowed?
50. 犯人なのではないだろうか。
Isn’t he supposed the criminal?
51. お前も来るだろう？（Casual/Masculine）
Aren’t you coming too?
Grammar Note: When the particle か is dropped like in Ex. 51, the speaker is strongly seeking affirmation from the listener.
3. “…だろうが” and “…だろうと” show supposition and mean “even (in/as)” or “no matter”. The former is used in the sense of “even as” whereas the latter is used in the sense of “even in/no matter.”
52. 雨天だろうと決行するつもりです。
I plan to carry it out even in rainy weather
53. 子供だろうが容赦はしない。
Even as children, they don’t show mercy.
54. どんな人だろうと、この映画は楽しめます。
No matter what kind of person you are, you can enjoy this movie.
4. ～だろうに means “even though it’s supposed to be”. When seen at the end of a sentence, it is often translated as “how I wish!”
55. 苦しかっただろうに、よく頑張った。
Even though it was supposed to be painful, he persevered well.
56. 人生をもう一度やりなおせたらどんなにいいだろうに。
How I wish I could live my life again!
57. もう少し早く出れば間に合っただろうに。
If we only left a little bit more early, we would have made it on time.
～でしょう
For the most part, ～でしょう is the polite form of ～だろう. ～でしょう comes from the combination of です and ～う. It is often shortened to ～でしょ in casual speech. It has largely replaced だろう whenever it isn’t followed by some particle. However, it is possible to see ～でしょうに.
58. 今晩は雪でしょう。
It’s probably snow this evening.
59. 戻ってくるでしょう。
It’ll probably return.
60. 薬で頭痛は収まるでしょう。
Headache should subside with medicine.
61. よろしいでしょうか。
Will this be alright?
62. 彼女は本当に喜ぶでしょう。
I think it’ll probably make her really happy.
63. 間に合わないのではないでしょうか。
Are we not going to be able to make it?
～ますでしょうか
～でしょうか normally goes after the plain form, but it’s occasionally after ～ます in attempts to be more honorific.
64. 日本に来られて何年になりますでしょうか。
How many years has it been since you’ve come to Japan?
65. お分かりになりますでしょうか。
Do you understand?