〜予定だ

〜予定だ expresses plan to ~ — a pattern for communicating wants, intentions, and plans. Japanese has multiple expressions for desire and intent, each with different levels of certainty and social appropriateness.

This is an intermediate pattern used regularly in everyday Japanese conversation and writing.

When to Use#

• Scheduled plans: 来月出張の予定です (I have a business trip scheduled next month)
• Asking about plans: 明日の予定は？ (What are your plans for tomorrow?)

When NOT to Use#

• When the meaning is closer to "intend to ~" — use 〜つもり instead
• In very formal writing where a more sophisticated expression would be expected

Example Sentences#

• 来週出発する予定です。 — I'm scheduled to depart next week.
• 十五日に帰る予定です。 — I'm scheduled to return on the 15th.
• 春に桜を見る予定です。 — I'm planning to see cherry blossoms in spring.

Practice#

Try reading these sentences aloud, then check the translation and vocabulary:

Common Mistakes#

1. Confusing 〜予定だ with 〜つもり — While both are related, 〜予定だ expresses "plan to ~" whereas 〜つもり expresses "intend to ~." Pay attention to the specific nuance each pattern conveys.
2. Direct translation from English — The concept expressed by 〜予定だ may not map one-to-one with its English translation. Focus on understanding the Japanese usage through example sentences rather than relying on the English gloss.

Related Patterns#

• 〜つもり (intend to ~) — Compare