What is the difference between つもり (tsumori) and 予定 (yotei) in Japanese?

つもり (tsumori) vs 予定 (yotei)

What's the Difference?

Use つもり for personal intentions and 予定 for scheduled plans. つもり is about what you want to do, while 予定 is about what is already planned.

Aspect	つもり (tsumori)	予定 (yotei)
JLPT	N4	N4
Formality	neutral	neutral
Planning	expresses a personal intention or goal	refers to a fixed or scheduled plan
Certainty	may not be certain	implies a higher degree of certainty
Control	focuses on the speaker's control over their actions	may involve external factors or schedules

JLPT: N4 | Formality: neutral

JLPT: N4 | Formality: neutral

映画を見に行くつもりだ

eiga o mi ni iku tsumori da

I intend to go see a movie

来週、東京へ行くつもりです

raishū, Tōkyō e iku tsumori desu

I plan to go to Tokyo next week

明日は早く起きるつもりだ

ashita wa hayaku okiru tsumori da

I intend to wake up early tomorrow

会議は来週の火曜予定です

kaigi wa raishū no kayō yotei desu

The meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday

次の週末は友達と旅行予定です

tsugi no shūmatsu wa tomodachi to ryokō yotei desu

I'm scheduled to travel with friends next weekend

今年の夏にニューヨークへ行く予定です

kotoshi no natsu ni Nyū Yōku e iku yotei desu

I'm scheduled to go to New York this summer

⚠ Using つもり for fixed plans, which can make the plan sound less certain than it is
⚠ Using 予定 for personal intentions, which can make the intention sound more formal or rigid than it is
⚠ Not distinguishing between the two terms in context, leading to confusion about the level of certainty or control

💡 Remember that つもり is like 'I want to' and 予定 is like 'it's already planned'

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