JLPT N4 Grammar
· Elementary
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· Elementary
to try to; to be about to
Category: Intentions & Decisions
The grammar pattern ～ようとする is used to describe an attempt to do something or an action that is just about to occur. It emphasizes the effort or intention of the speaker to perform a certain action. This pattern is often used in situations where the speaker is about to take action or is making an effort to do something. The nuance of this pattern is that it implies a sense of urgency or a strong intention to act.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Volitional Form | Verb (Volitional Form) + とする | 食べる (to eat) + とする = 食べようとする (to try to eat) |
| Negative Volitional Form | Negative Verb (Volitional Form) + とする | 食べない (not to eat) + とする = 食べないようとする (to try not to eat) |
| Potential Form | Potential Verb Form + とする | 食べられる (to be able to eat) + とする = 食べられるようとする (to try to be able to eat) |
出かけようとするとき、友達が遊びに来ました。
Dekakeyō to suru toki, tomodachi ga asobi ni kimashita.
When I was about to leave, my friends came to play.
出かけようとする (to try to leave) + 時間 (time) + 友達が遊びに来ました (my friends came to play)
あの猫は、木に登ろうとするが、登れません。
Ano neko wa, ki ni noborō to suru ga, noboreremasen.
That cat is trying to climb the tree, but it can't.
木に登ろうとする (to try to climb the tree) + が (but) + 登れません (can't climb)
いくら言っても、彼は宿題をしないようとする。
Ikura iu mono demo, kare wa, shukudai o shinaiyō to suru.
No matter how much I say, he won't do his homework.
宿題をしないようとする (to try not to do homework) + である (to be)
This pattern is used to describe an attempt to do something or an action that is just about to occur. It is often used in situations where the speaker is about to take action or is making an effort to do something. In terms of register, this pattern is informal and is often used in casual conversations. It is also used to express a sense of urgency or a strong intention to act.
～ようとする emphasizes the effort or intention of the speaker to perform a certain action, while ～ようにする emphasizes the act of making an effort to do something. For example, "食べようとする" (to try to eat) vs. "食べようにする" (to make an effort to eat).
～ようとする emphasizes the effort or intention of the speaker to perform a certain action, while ～ようと思う emphasizes the mere intention or thought of doing something. For example, "食べようとする" (to try to eat) vs. "食べようと思う" (to think of eating).
Make sure to use the correct volitional form of the verb when using the ～ようとする pattern. For example, "食べる" (to eat) + とする = 食べようとする (to try to eat), not "食べるようとする".
When using the ～ようとする pattern in the JLPT exam, make sure to pay attention to the context and the nuance of the sentence. Emphasize the effort or intention of the speaker to perform a certain action. Also, be careful not to confuse this pattern with other similar patterns, such as ようにする and ようと思う.
出かけ______とき、友達が遊びに来ました。
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