よう

よ

う

Freq.FrequencyTop 100

Meanings

auxiliary verb

will; shall

Expresses the speaker's volition or intention. Attaches to the stem of non-五段 verbs (e.g., 食べる→食べよう).

明日あしたは早はやく起おきよう。
I'll get up early tomorrow.

auxiliary verb

let's

Used for suggestions or invitations, often with a sense of 'shall we?'. Attaches to non-五段 stems.

一いっ緒しょに映えい画がを見みよう。
Let's watch a movie together.

auxiliary verb

I wonder; maybe; perhaps

Expresses speculation or uncertainty about something. Often used in self-directed questions or when thinking aloud.

彼かれはもう帰かえっていようか。
I wonder if he has already gone home.

Related words

そうN4
そう expresses a conjecture based on direct sensory impression (e.g. how something looks), while よう is used for more indirect, reasoned inference.
ざま
よう is the neutral, everyday word for 'way' or 'manner', while ざま in this suffix sense carries a more literary or archaic feel.
ん
よう is the modern volitional auxiliary used with ichidan and irregular verbs, whereas ん expresses the same intention in classical Japanese.

Opposites

まい
よう expresses the speaker's affirmative volition or conjecture ('will do/probably will'), the opposite of まい's negative volition or conjecture ('will not/probably not').

Don't confuse with

う
よう is the parallel volitional/conjecture auxiliary used with ichidan and irregular verbs (食べよう, しよう), while う is used with godan verbs (書こう) — learners must pick the right one based on conjugation class, not meaning.

Etymology

Derived from the classical volitional auxiliary む (mu), which shifted to う (u) for 五段 verbs and よう (yō) for other verb classes. The exact phonological development is complex but well-established.

よう

よ

う

Freq.FrequencyTop 100

Meanings

auxiliary verb

will; shall

Expresses the speaker's volition or intention. Attaches to the stem of non-五段 verbs (e.g., 食べる→食べよう).

明日あしたは早はやく起おきよう。
I'll get up early tomorrow.

auxiliary verb

let's

Used for suggestions or invitations, often with a sense of 'shall we?'. Attaches to non-五段 stems.

一いっ緒しょに映えい画がを見みよう。
Let's watch a movie together.

auxiliary verb

I wonder; maybe; perhaps

Expresses speculation or uncertainty about something. Often used in self-directed questions or when thinking aloud.

彼かれはもう帰かえっていようか。
I wonder if he has already gone home.

Related words

そうN4
そう expresses a conjecture based on direct sensory impression (e.g. how something looks), while よう is used for more indirect, reasoned inference.
ざま
よう is the neutral, everyday word for 'way' or 'manner', while ざま in this suffix sense carries a more literary or archaic feel.
ん
よう is the modern volitional auxiliary used with ichidan and irregular verbs, whereas ん expresses the same intention in classical Japanese.

Opposites

まい
よう expresses the speaker's affirmative volition or conjecture ('will do/probably will'), the opposite of まい's negative volition or conjecture ('will not/probably not').

Don't confuse with

う
よう is the parallel volitional/conjecture auxiliary used with ichidan and irregular verbs (食べよう, しよう), while う is used with godan verbs (書こう) — learners must pick the right one based on conjugation class, not meaning.