Grammar Info
N3 Lesson 7: 17/21

う・よう + とする
try to・attempt to, to be about to

Verb[Volitional]としても(even if someone attempts to) can be contracted to Verb[Volitional] + たって/ったって。

Structure
Casual
Polite
Verb[おう] + とする
Verb[おう] + とします
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
When combined with the 助動詞(じょどうし) (auxiliary verb) う (or よう), とする carries the meaning of ‘to try to do (A)’, or ‘to be about to do (A)’. The 格助詞(かくじょし) (case marking particle) と in this expression highlights a ‘result’.
To use おうとする, modify the (A) verb into its う or よう receiving form, and then add とする.
  • この子(こ)はなんでも食(た)べようとするから、お菓子(かし)は隠(かく)してね。
    This one will try to eat anything, so please hide any snacks.
  • 先生(せんせい)話(はな)している間(あいだ)に帰(かえ)ろうとする、先生(せんせい)怒(おこ)られる。
    If you try to go home while the teacher is talking, he will yell at you.
As う and よう mark volition (the express intent to do something), とする adds the nuance that the express intent has been decided, and all that remains is to ‘do’ the action. This translates quite closely to ‘to endeavor to do’ in English, where the past form ‘endeavored to do’ will suggest that the attempt was unsuccessful.
  • 今年(ことし)は毎日(まいにち)日本語(にほんご)勉強(べんきょう)ようとしたが、時間(じかん)なくて出来(でき)なかった
    I tried to study Japanese everyday this year, but I couldn't because I didn't have time.
  • クラスメイトスズキさん話(はな)し掛(か)けようとしたけど、緊張(きんちょう)し過(す)ぎて話(はな)せなかった
    I tried to talk to my classmate, Suzuki-san, but I got so nervous that I couldn't.
Caution
ようとする is also regularly used to indicate when one action interrupts another. In these cases, the nuance is not quite ‘to have endeavored’, but more ‘(A) was already underway, when (B)’. Again, it will just show that the (A) action was decided upon 100%, when something caused an unexpected change.
  • 家(いえ)出(で)ようとしたら、急(きゅう)雨(あめ)降(ふ)り始(はじ)めた。
    It suddenly started to rain when I was about to leave the house.
  • 部屋(へや)暗(くら)かったから電気(でんき)点(つ)けようとしたら、妻(つま)電気(でんき)点(つ)けるな言(い)われた。
    As I tried to turn on the lights in my room because it was dark, my wife told me not to.
Slow Male
Hide All
Hide Japanese
Hide English
見(み)て!子犬(こいぬ)がしっぽを捕(つか)まえようとしているとてもかわいい
Look! The puppy is trying to catch its tail! It's so cute!
Play  
犯人(はんにん)は、逃(に)げようとした時(とき)に、警察(けいさつ)に捕(つか)まえられた。
Just as the culprit tried to escape, he was caught by police.
Play  
「鬱(うつ)」の書(か)き順(じゅん)を何回(なんかい)覚(おぼ)えようとしても、覚(おぼ)えられない。
No matter how many times I try to remember the stroke order of "鬱" I cannot remember it.
覚えようとしても can be contracted to 覚えようったって・覚えようたって without changing meaning.
Play  
Books
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 168
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 246 <てみる>