Grammar Info
N2 Lesson 1: 4/21

つもりで
with the intention of doing, instead of..., act as if/pretend, believing that..., thinking that...

Structure
Verb + つもり
[な]Adjective + + つもり
Noun + + つもり

Act as if・pretend・be convinced:
Verb[た]+ つもり
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
積もり
Information
つもりで, being a combination of the 名詞(めいし) (noun) つもり ‘intention’, and the 格助詞(かくじょし) (case-marking particle) で ‘with’, this structure is used in several different ways, depending on what comes before it. When combined with verbs, な-Adjectives or nouns in their plain forms, it implies that (A) is being done with the intention of (B).
As つもり is a noun, の will be required before it when grouped with other nouns, while な will be required when linked to な-Adjectives.
  • 何(なに)も買(か)わないつもりで新(あたら)しく出来(でき)たショッピングモールへ行(い)ったが、色々(いろいろ)買(か)ってしまった。
    I went to the newly built shopping mall without any intention of buying anything, but I ended up purchasing various things.
  • この魚(さかな)新鮮(しんせん)なつもりで買(か)ったのに、パックから出(だ)したらものすごいにおいがした。
    I bought this fish intending for it to be fresh, but when I took it out of the package, it smelled unbelievably bad.
  • 冗談(じょうだん)のつもりで言(い)っただけなのに、相手(あいて)を傷付(きずつ)けてしまった。
    Despite saying it thinking that it was going to be funny, I ended up hurting their feelings.
However, when paired with verbs in the past form, つもりで implies that the speaker is ‘acting as though (A)’, ‘pretending that (A)’, or ‘is convinced that (A)’.
  • 今度(こんど)は、主人公(しゅじんこう)になったつもりで読(よ)んでみてください。
    Next, try reading it as if you were the main character.
  • パーティーでダンサーになったつもりで、みんなの前(まえ)で踊(おど)った。
    At a party, I danced in front of everybody, as if I was a dancer.
This meaning simply comes from the intention of something being contrary to what is actually true.
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日本(にほん)に行(い)っつもりで日本語(にほんご)勉強(べんきょう)しています。
I am studying Japanese as if I went to Japan.
[act as if/pretending・as if I were in Japan]
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今月末(こんげつまつ)までに完成(かんせい)させるつもりで毎日(まいにち)努力(どりょく)をした。
With the intention of finishing by the end of the month, I worked on it every day.
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お土産(みやげ)つもりで買(か)ったが、食(た)べてしまった。
I bought it with the intention of (giving it) as a gift, but ended up eating it.
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