N4 Verb Forms

意向いこう形けい: meaning, usage and examples

意向いこう形けい means: Verb Volitional-form.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 飲のもう、食たべよう、しよう、来こよう

   [Volitional-form] of drink, eat, do, come

2. 今日きょうは早はやく帰かえろう。

   Let's go home early today.

3. 一緒いっしょに昼ひるご飯はんを食たべよう。

   Let's have lunch together.

4. 来年らいねん、日本にほんへ行いこうと思おもっています。

   I'm thinking of going to Japan next year.

5. 疲つかれたね。ちょっと休やすもう。

   That was tiring. Let's take a short break.

When to use it

The volitional form is the plain version of ましょう. Use it to suggest doing something together ("Let's...": 一緒いっしょに食たべよう) or to talk to yourself about what you will do ("I think I'll...": もう寝ねよう). With と思おもっています it states a plan: 日本にほんへ行いこうと思おもっています (I'm thinking of going to Japan).

Nuance

On its own it is casual, used with friends and family. Use ましょう in polite speech. ようと思おもう is polite enough with です/ます (と思おもっています) and sounds softer than つもりです. As a question (行いこうか) it offers or suggests: "Shall we go?"

Compare

ようと思おもう vs つもり: 行いこうと思おもっています is a plan you are considering, 行いくつもりです is a firmer intention. ましょう vs ませんか: 行いきましょう suggests strongly, 行いきませんか invites more gently and asks for the other person's opinion.

Tip: う-ending verbs need care: 会あう -> 会あおう, 買かう -> 買かおう. And remember 来くる becomes こよう, not くよう.

More on this in Japanese verb conjugation.