〜つもりで (~tsumori de) — with the mindset of (though not really)
Not really so, but acting as if it were — the grit of 'I'll work as if my life depended on it'.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- A senior says: 「死んだつもりで頑張れ」— 'work as if you were already dead' (not really dead, but with that much force).
- No money for a trip: 「旅行に行ったつもりで、そのお金を貯金しよう」— 'let's pretend we went and save that money'.
Meaning
- 「〜つもりで」= 'it is not really so, but in the frame of mind as if it were'.
- Then 「で」links the next action, done 'in that state of mind'.
- That 'only assumed, not true' colour is always in it.
How to attach
- The verb's た-form: 行ったつもりで
- An い-adjective as is: 若いつもりで
- A な-adjective with な: 元気なつもりで
- A noun with の: 家族のつもりで, 本番のつもりで
Versus what you know
- N4「〜つもりだ」= I intend to (行くつもりだ) — dictionary form, a future intention.
- N3「〜つもりだった」= I thought I had done it, but the truth was otherwise (閉めたつもりだったのに、開いていた).
- Here the た-form comes before it (行ったつもりで), and the meaning is not a future intention but 'treating it as if it had already happened'.
Watch out
A wrong assumption can hurt you: 「いつまでも若いつもりで徹夜してると体を壊すよ」— pull all-nighters thinking you are still young and you will wreck your body.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
死んだつもりで、あと一か月試験の勉強を頑張ります。
しんだつもりで、あといちかげつしけんのべんきょうをがんばります。
For one more month, I'll study for the exam as if my life depended on it.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 死ぬ = to die → た-form: 死んだ (not for real) → 「つもりで」 = treating it as if so → then the action done in that spirit: 頑張ります.
国に帰ったつもりで、今日は家でネパール料理を作って食べよう。
くににかえったつもりで、きょうはいえでネパールりょうりをつくってたべよう。
Let's pretend we've gone home to Nepal and cook and eat Nepali food at home today.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 帰る = to go back → 帰った (not really gone back) → 「つもりで」 → then the action done in that spirit: 作って食べよう.
本番のつもりで、面接の練習を友達としてみた。
ほんばんのつもりで、めんせつのれんしゅうをともだちとしてみた。
Treating it like the real thing, I practiced the interview with a friend.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 本番 = the real thing (noun) → we add 「の」: 本番の → 「つもりで」 = treating it as if so → then the practice: 練習をしてみた.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「本当の家族＿つもりで、お年寄りの世話をしている。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: What goes after a noun?
N + の + つもりで. 家族のつもりで = as if they were family.
For the meaning 'not really, but as if', which sentence is wrong?
💡 Hint: What does the dictionary form make it mean?
行くつもり = intend to go (N4); to say 'as if we had gone' you need the た-form: 行ったつもりで.
「閉めたつもりだったのに、開いていた」vs 「死んだつもりで頑張る」— how do the two 「つもり」differ?
💡 Hint: Recall N3's つもりだった.
つもりだった = I believed I had done it (truth differed); つもりで = I know it is not so, but I act in that spirit.
Your score: /3