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Gogaku

All N4 grammar

N4

意向形(〜よう)

Volitional form — "let's…" / "I'll…" (行こう)machine translation

FormationGroup 1: う row → お row + う;group 2: drop る + よう;する → しよう、来る → 来よう

The volitional form is the plain-form counterpart of the 〜ましょう you've been using since N5: 行きましょう → 行こう ("let's go"). Use it to invite close friends along, or to tell yourself "I'm going to…".

How to conjugate: group 1 changes the final sound from the う row to the お row and adds う: 行く → 行こう, 読む → 読もう, 買う → 買おう. Group 2 drops る and adds よう: 食べる → 食べよう, 見る → 見よう. Group 3: する → しよう, 来る → 来よう (こよう).

The volitional form on its own is only for casual conversation — with superiors you still say 〜ましょう. Combined with と思う, it forms the very important pattern 〜ようと思う ("I intend to…"), which you'll learn in the very next lesson.

Examples

Related patterns

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