JLPT N4 grammar · Chapter 14

Volitional form (～(よ)う)

A casual let's or I will

You'll be able to form casual suggestions and express a decision to act.

Illustration of the scene described by Let’s go to the park.

Read it first

公園こうえんに行いこう。

kouen ni ikou.

What do you think this sentence means?

Let’s go to the park.

Why it means that

Propose or intend an action

The volitional form expresses a proposal such as “let’s” or the speaker’s intention. It is casual compared with ～ましょう and is used in several later planning patterns.

Formation overview

Group 1 · Godan

う → おう

買かう → 買かおう

kau → kaou

buy → volitional form

く → こう

書かく → 書かこう

kaku → kakou

write → volitional form

ぐ → ごう

泳およぐ → 泳およごう

oyogu → oyogou

swim → volitional form

す → そう

話はなす → 話はなそう

hanasu → hanasou

speak → volitional form

つ → とう

待まつ → 待まとう

matsu → matou

wait → volitional form

ぬ → のう

死しぬ → 死しのう

shinu → shinou

die → volitional form

ぶ → ぼう

遊あそぶ → 遊あそぼう

asobu → asobou

play → volitional form

む → もう

読よむ → 読よもう

yomu → yomou

read → volitional form

る → ろう

乗のる → 乗のろう

noru → norou

ride → volitional form

Group 2 · Ichidan

remove る + よう

食たべる → 食たべよう

taberu → tabeyou

eat → volitional form

remove る + よう

見みる → 見みよう

miru → miyou

see/watch → volitional form

Group 3 · Irregular

special form

する → しよう

suru → shiyou

do → volitional form

special form

来くる → 来こよう

kuru → koyou

come → volitional form

Group 1 · Godan	う → おう	買かう → 買かおう kau → kaou	buy → volitional form
	く → こう	書かく → 書かこう kaku → kakou	write → volitional form
	ぐ → ごう	泳およぐ → 泳およごう oyogu → oyogou	swim → volitional form
	す → そう	話はなす → 話はなそう hanasu → hanasou	speak → volitional form
	つ → とう	待まつ → 待まとう matsu → matou	wait → volitional form
	ぬ → のう	死しぬ → 死しのう shinu → shinou	die → volitional form
	ぶ → ぼう	遊あそぶ → 遊あそぼう asobu → asobou	play → volitional form
	む → もう	読よむ → 読よもう yomu → yomou	read → volitional form
	る → ろう	乗のる → 乗のろう noru → norou	ride → volitional form
Group 2 · Ichidan	remove る + よう	食たべる → 食たべよう taberu → tabeyou	eat → volitional form
Group 2 · Ichidan	remove る + よう	見みる → 見みよう miru → miyou	see/watch → volitional form
Group 3 · Irregular	special form	する → しよう suru → shiyou	do → volitional form
Group 3 · Irregular	special form	来くる → 来こよう kuru → koyou	come → volitional form

How it is built

Group 1 · Godan

Change the final u-row kana to the o-row and add う. The resulting long vowel is part of the volitional ending.

Group 1 dictionary ending→volitional ending

Examples

買かう → 買かおう

kau → kaou

buy → volitional form

書かく → 書かこう

kaku → kakou

write → volitional form

泳およぐ → 泳およごう

oyogu → oyogou

swim → volitional form

話はなす → 話はなそう

hanasu → hanasou

speak → volitional form

待まつ → 待まとう

matsu → matou

wait → volitional form

死しぬ → 死しのう

shinu → shinou

die → volitional form

遊あそぶ → 遊あそぼう

asobu → asobou

play → volitional form

読よむ → 読よもう

yomu → yomou

read → volitional form

乗のる → 乗のろう

noru → norou

ride → volitional form

How it is built

Group 2 · Ichidan

Remove final る and add よう. Do not keep the dictionary-form る.

Group 2 without final る+よう

Examples

食たべる → 食たべよう

taberu → tabeyou

eat → volitional form

見みる → 見みよう

miru → miyou

see/watch → volitional form

How it is built

Group 3 · Irregular

Memorize する→しよう and 来くる→来こよう (こよう).

する / 来る→しよう / 来よう

Examples

する → しよう

suru → shiyou

do → volitional form

来くる → 来こよう

kuru → koyou

come → volitional form

How it is built

Form and use Volitional form (～(よ)う)

する becomes しよう and 来くる becomes 来こよう (こよう). With Group 1 verbs, the final u-row kana changes to the o-row: 行いく→行いこう. This form expresses intention, not future certainty.

Group 1 o-row stem+う/Group 2 without る+よう

Examples

明日あした、一緒いっしょに行いこう。

ashita, issho ni ikou.

Let’s go together tomorrow.

一緒いっしょに食たべよう。

issho ni tabeyou.

Let’s eat together.

ここで休憩きゅうけいしよう。

koko de kyuukei shiyou.

Let’s take a break here.