つもりだった

つもりだった means intended to; thought that I had. It is a JLPT N3 grammar pattern used to say what someone intended or believed, often different from reality.

This grammar point often appears in neutral Japanese. If you want to say what someone intended or believed, often different from reality, つもりだった is a useful pattern to learn.

What does つもりだった mean?

Use つもりだった when you want to say what someone intended or believed, often different from reality.

Natural translations include:

• intended to; thought that I had
• intended to
• intended to / thought that I had

How to form つもりだった

Verb dictionary / ない-form / Nounの + つもりだった

Examples of the pattern:

• 行くつもりだった
• 言ったつもりだった
• 学生のつもりだった

When is つもりだった used?

Use つもりだった in situations like:

• explaining grammar in context
• answering JLPT reading questions
• making natural Japanese sentences

Tone and register:

• neutral
• Common in JLPT reading, grammar questions, and natural Japanese sentences

つもりだった example sentences

• 昨日連絡するつもりだったが、忘れてしまった。 — I intended to contact you yesterday, but I forgot.
• 早く寝るつもりだったのに、遅くなった。 — I intended to sleep early, but it got late.
• 説明したつもりだったが、伝わっていなかった。 — I thought I had explained it, but it had not gotten across.
• 冗談のつもりだったが、彼を怒らせてしまった。 — I meant it as a joke, but I made him angry.
• 貯金するつもりだったのに、全部使ってしまった。 — I intended to save money, but I spent it all.

Nuance of つもりだった

The key nuance is a natural way to express “intended to; thought that I had” with the right context and tone.

This matters because つもりだった does more than match a single English phrase. It shows how the speaker frames the condition, timing, example, role, intention, or contrast in the sentence.

For example:

• In context, it sounds natural when the surrounding sentence supports the nuance.
• Compared with 予定だった, it has a different focus and level of formality.

つもりだった vs 予定だった

Both つもりだった and 予定だった can appear in related situations, but they are different.

つもりだった:

• means intended to; thought that I had
• fits the specific N3 pattern and nuance explained above

予定だった:

• 予定だった means was scheduled; つもりだった focuses on personal intention or belief

Quick contrast examples:

• Target: 昨日連絡するつもりだったが、忘れてしまった。 — I intended to contact you yesterday, but I forgot.
• Compare: Try replacing it with 予定だった and check whether the nuance still matches.

Common mistakes with つもりだった

Watch out for these mistakes:

• Using つもりだった with the wrong form
• Confusing つもりだった with 予定だった
• Translating it too literally instead of reading the whole sentence

Is つもりだった on the JLPT?

Yes. つもりだった is commonly taught as JLPT N3 grammar.

That means learners should be able to:

• recognize it in reading
• understand its nuance in context
• use it in simple original sentences

Practice questions for つもりだった

Try making your own sentences with these prompts:

• Write one sentence using つもりだった.
• Contrast つもりだった with 予定だった.
• Make a JLPT-style sentence where the context makes the meaning clear.

Learning path for つもりだった

To learn つもりだった efficiently, review volitional forms first, then contrast intention, attempt, refusal, and plans that changed.

1. First, make sure you can form つもりだった without looking at the pattern chart.
2. Next, compare it with ようとする, ようとしない. These patterns are close enough that choosing between them helps you understand the nuance.
3. Finally, write sentences about trying, being about to do something, or deciding not to act; then check whether replacing つもりだった with つもりで changes the meaning.

Related grammar to review next

• ようとする — because it helps contrast intention, attempt, and refusal to act.
• ようとしない — because it helps contrast intention, attempt, and refusal to act.
• つもりで — because it helps contrast intention, attempt, and refusal to act.
• つもり — because it helps contrast intention, attempt, and refusal to act.

Learn つもりだった with Hane

If you want to review つもりだった together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you connect grammar, kanji, and vocabulary in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

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