At a glance
～つもりでした means "I was planning to" or "I meant to". It usually describes a past plan that did not happen, and is often followed by が or のに and what actually happened.
Verb (dictionary form) + つもりでした
Verb (ない form) + つもりでした
昨日は勉強するつもりでしたが、できませんでした。 I was planning to study yesterday, but I couldn't.
How to form it
つもり is a noun, so it attaches to plain forms and nouns:
| Attaches to | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Verb, dictionary form | 行くつもりでした | I was planning to go |
| Verb, ない form | 行かないつもりでした | I was planning not to go |
| Verb, た form | 分かったつもりでした | I thought I had understood |
| Noun + の | 冗談のつもりでした | I meant it as a joke |
| Register | Form |
|---|---|
| Polite | ～つもりでした |
| Casual | ～つもりだった |