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Phrase
| The speaker desires of decides to do something. | ~think~ will |
| 【Related Expression: つもり】 |
(ksa). 私は日本歴史を読もうと思う・思います。
I think I will read Japanese history (books).
(ksb). 私はもう酒を飲むまいと思う・思います。
I think I will not drink alcohol any longer.
| (i)Vinformal volitional | と思う | |
| 話そうと思う | I think I will talk | |
| 食べようと思う | I think I will eat | |
| (ii)Vinformal nonpast | まいと思う | |
| 話すまいと思う | I think I will not talk | |
| 食べるまいと思う | I think I will not eat |
(a). 夏休みに日本アルプスに登ろうと思います。
I think I will climb the Japan Alps during summer vacation.
(b). 森さんはワープロを買おうと思っています。
Mr. Mori is thinking of buying a word processor.
(c). 僕はあの人とはもう話すまいと思う。
I think I won't talk to that person any more.
1. When the subject is not the first person, as in Example (b), the nonpast form of 思う cannot be used. Thus, the following sentence is unacceptable.
The reason why (1) is unacceptable is that 思う represents an internal feeling of the speaker alone. Therefore, when the subject is the third person, 思う has to be replaced by the stative 思っている which means 'he (= the third person subject) has indicated that he feels ~, in such a way that the speaker can see and/or hear what he feels'. Observe the following sentence.
It is also to be noted that ようと思う cannot be used as a question.
2. The negative version of ようと思う is Verb informal nonpast まいと思う, as seen in Key Sentence B and Example (c).
3. The verb that precedes よう must be a verb that represents sometning controllable by human volition. Thus, the following sentences are all ungrammatical, because the verbs are noncontrollable.
A passive verb can be used with ようと思う, however, if the speaker perceives the passive situation as somehow controllable, as in (5).