Japanese　Verb　Volitional Form

V-よう・動詞意向形・どうしいこうけい

1. What is the Volitional Form (意向形)?

The volitional form, known as 意向形 (いこうけい) in Japanese, is used to express the speaker's will or intention to do something. It can also be used to make suggestions or invitations, similar to saying "let's" or "shall we" in English.

2. Main Uses of the Volitional Form

Expressing personal intention: When you want to do something or decide to take action.
Making suggestions: To propose an idea to others in a casual or informal manner.
Encouraging action: Commonly used to suggest group activities or actions.
Expressing willingness: To show that the speaker is willing to engage in a certain activity.

3. How to Form the Volitional Form

The way to form the volitional form differs based on the type of verb: Group 1 (五段動詞), Group 2 (一段動詞), and Irregular Verbs (不規則動詞).

3.1 Group 1 Verbs (五段動詞 - Godan Verbs)

For Group 1 verbs, the volitional form is created by changing the final vowel of the dictionary form from the "う" sound to the "おう" sound.

Verb Ending	Volitional Form	Example (Dictionary Form)	Example (Volitional Form)
～う	→ ～おう	会う (あう)	会おう (あおう)
～つ	→ ～とう	待つ (まつ)	待とう (まとう)
～る	→ ～ろう	取る (とる)	取ろう (とろう)
～む	→ ～もう	飲む (のむ)	飲もう (のもう)
～ぬ	→ ～のう	死ぬ (しぬ)	死のう (しのう)
～ぶ	→ ～ぼう	遊ぶ (あそぶ)	遊ぼう (あそぼう)
～く	→ ～こう	書く (かく)	書こう (かこう)
～ぐ	→ ～ごう	泳ぐ (およぐ)	泳ごう (およごう)
～す	→ ～そう	話す (はなす)	話そう (はなそう)

3.2 Group 2 Verbs (一段動詞 - Ichidan Verbs)

For Group 2 verbs, the volitional form is created by removing the final 「る」 and adding 「よう」.

Verb Ending	Volitional Form	Example (Dictionary Form)	Example (Volitional Form)
～る	→ ～よう	食べる (たべる)	食べよう (たべよう)
		見る (みる)	見よう (みよう)

3.3 Irregular Verbs (不規則動詞)

Irregular verbs follow specific patterns when forming the volitional form.

Verb	Volitional Form	Example (Dictionary Form)	Example (Volitional Form)
する	→ しよう	する	しよう
来る (くる)	→ 来よう (こよう)	来る (くる)	来よう (こよう)

4. Examples of Volitional Form in Use

Here are some examples of how the volitional form is used in different contexts:

Expressing personal intention:
- 明日早く起きよう。
  (I will wake up early tomorrow.)
Making suggestions:
- 映画を見に行こう。
  (Let's go see a movie.)
Encouraging action:
- 頑張ろう！
  (Let's do our best!)
Expressing willingness:
- 一緒に勉強しようか？
  (Shall we study together?)

5. Key Points to Note

The volitional form is casual in nature but can be made polite by combining it with "～ましょう".
- Example: 食べましょう (Let's eat).
It is primarily used in spoken Japanese to suggest activities or express determination.
The form is also used in constructions like "と思っている" (I'm thinking of doing...) to express plans or intentions.

6. Summary

The volitional form (意向形) is an important aspect of Japanese grammar, allowing speakers to express intentions, make suggestions, and encourage others. By understanding how to conjugate the volitional form for different verb groups, learners can effectively communicate their will or propose actions in various situations.

Japanese Verb Volitional Form