JLPT N3EverydayTwo uses

たつもりthought I had; as if I had

After a た-form, つもり isn't a plan. Something is done in your head and not in fact: you believed you had done it, or you know you haven't and act as if you had. A plan takes the dictionary form: 行いくつもりだ.

I thought I had

鍵かぎをかけたつもりだったが、朝あさ見みるとドアは開あいていた。

I thought I had locked the door, but when I looked in the morning it was open.

as if I had

欲ほしかった靴くつを買かったつもりで、同おなじ金きん額がくを貯ちょ金きんした。

As if I had bought the shoes I wanted, I put the same amount into savings.

I thought I had

Verb た-form + つもりだ／つもりだった

が or のに usually follows, with what really happened. つもりでいた is the same belief, held for a while.

As if I had

Verb た-form + つもりで + what you do

Said about: Mostly yourself. About someone else it is often a criticism: they think they have, and they haven't.
Where you'll meet it: Everyday talk and writing.

I thought I had

You were sure it was done, and it wasn't.

全ぜん部ぶ読よんだつもりだったのに、重じゅう要ような一いちページを飛とばしていた。

I thought I had read all of it, but I had skipped one important page.

分わかったつもりでいたが、友とも達だちに質しつ問もんされると、うまく説せつ明めいできなかった。

I thought I understood it, but when a friend asked me about it, I couldn't explain it properly.

説せつ明めいしたつもりですが、要よう点てんが相あい手てに伝つたわっていませんでした。

I believe I did explain it, but the main point had not got across.

つもりです, not でした: you still say you did it, and admit only the result.

As if I had

Here nobody is mistaken. You know it isn't so and take it as done anyway. What follows is what you do on the strength of it: save, try harder, look again.

旅りょ行こうに行いったつもりで、使つかう予よ定ていだった十じゅう万まん円えんを貯ちょ金きんに回まわした。

As if I had taken the trip, I put the 100,000 yen I was going to spend on it into savings.

死しんだつもりで、もう一いち度ど頑がん張ばってみます。

I'll give it one more try, as if I had already died.

A set phrase: with nothing left to lose.

読どく者しゃになったつもりで、自じ分ぶんの文ぶん章しょうを読よみ直なおした。

I reread what I had written as if I were the reader.

になったつもりで puts you in someone else's place.

Close neighbours

つもりだN5

The plan, with the dictionary form. In the past it is usually "I meant to, but".

昨日きのうは早はやく寝ねるつもりだったが、急きゅうな仕し事ごとが入はいった。

I meant to go to bed early yesterday, but some urgent work came up.

と思おもっていたN4

For what you thought someone else had done, or what you thought had happened. With たつもり, the one who believed it is the one who did it.

まだいたんですか。もう帰かえったと思おもっていました。

You're still here? I thought you had gone home.

ふりをするN3

An act put on for others to see. たつもりで is in your own head, with no audience.

彼かれは答こたえを知しっていたのに、知しらないふりをした。

Although he knew the answer, he pretended not to know.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

薬くすりを飲のんだつもりだった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Did my brother eat the cake?

兄あにはケーキを食たべたつもりで、五ご百ひゃく円えんを貯ちょ金きん箱ばこに入いれた。

Choose an answer to see why.

3Which one fits?

雨あめはもう（　　）が、まだ降ふっていた。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

つもり is also how you meant something: after a noun with の, or as そんなつもり.

冗じょう談だんのつもりで言いったのに、彼かれを怒おこらせてしまった。

I meant it as a joke, but I made him angry.

ごめん、そんなつもりじゃなかった。

Sorry, I didn't mean it that way.

More sentences

メールを送おくったつもりだったが、送そう信しん済ずみフォルダーにはなく、下した書がきに残のこっていた。

I thought I had sent the email, but it wasn't in the sent folder; it was still sitting in my drafts.

丁てい寧ねいに断ことわったつもりですが、かえって期き待たいを持もたせてしまったようです。

I believe I turned them down politely, but it seems I raised their hopes instead.

彼かれは十じゅう分ぶんに謝あやまったつもりだと言いっているが、相あい手てはそう受うけ取とっていない。

He says he believes he has apologized enough, but the other person does not see it that way.

余よ計けいなことは言いわなかったつもりだが、彼かれを傷きずつけたらしい。

I don't believe I said anything I shouldn't have, but apparently I hurt him.

面めん接せつ官かんになったつもりで、自じ分ぶんの答こたえを厳きびしくチェックしてみよう。

Let's go over our own answers strictly, as if we were the interviewer.

宝たからくじに当あたったつもりで、百ひゃく万まん円えんの使つかい道みちを考かんがえてみた。

I imagined I had won the lottery and thought about how I would spend a million yen.