〜(よ)うとする: About To / Try To | Japanese Grammar

If 〜(よ)うと思う quotes your intention with 思う ("I think I'll…"), then 〜(よ)うとする quotes it with する — and the effect is completely different. It doesn't announce a plan; it captures the very moment of trying, or the instant just before an action happens. English translates it as "tried to," "attempted to," or "was about to." The volitional supplies the intent to act; とする ("does the trying") plants that intent right at the threshold of the action itself.

The structure

Plain volitional + と + する. The volitional is formed exactly as elsewhere (ichidan 出かけよう・開けよう, godan 立とう・乗ろう, irregular しよう / 来よう); see the volitional overview for the mechanics. Then you attach とする and conjugate the する for tense: とした (past), としている (progressive), としたら／とすると (conditional).

Dictionary	Volitional	とする
出かける	出かけよう	出かけようとする
開ける	開けよう	開けようとする
立つ	立とう	立とうとする
乗る	乗ろう	乗ろうとする
する	しよう	しようとする

Meaning 1: "was about to / on the verge of"

With past 〜(よ)うとした, and especially paired with 時 ("when") or たら, the form marks the instant right before an action — and it almost always sets up an interruption. Something cuts in just as you were about to act.

出かけようとした時、電話が鳴った。

dekakeyō to shita toki, denwa ga natta

Just as I was about to leave, the phone rang.

お風呂に入ろうとしたら、お湯が出なかった。

o-furo ni hairō to shitara, o-yu ga denakatta

Right when I was about to get in the bath, no hot water came out.

電車に乗ろうとした瞬間、ドアが閉まった。

densha ni norō to shita shunkan, doa ga shimatta

The moment I went to board the train, the doors closed.

Meaning 2: "tried to / attempted to" (often failing)

With the same past form, but focused on the effort rather than the timing, 〜(よ)うとした means "made an attempt." Critically, it says nothing about success — and it very frequently leads into a "…but it didn't work."

ドアを開けようとしたが、開かなかった。

doa o akeyō to shita ga, akanakatta

I tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open.

彼に真実を伝えようとしたが、言葉が出てこなかった。

kare ni shinjitsu o tsutaeyō to shita ga, kotoba ga dete konakatta

I tried to tell him the truth, but the words wouldn't come out.

💡

Both meanings share one core: 〜ようとする names a single attempt or an imminent action, and it loves to be followed by a twist — an interruption ("…時、〜") or a frustration ("…が、〜ない"). If your sentence is heading toward "…but," 〜ようとした is usually the form you want.

The progressive: "is trying to / is about to"

〜(よ)うとしている describes an attempt or an imminent action happening right now — perfect for narrating something you can watch unfold, including with inanimate subjects and natural processes.

赤ちゃんが自分で立とうとしている。

akachan ga jibun de tatō to shite iru

The baby is trying to stand up on its own.

犯人は窓から逃げようとしている。

hannin wa mado kara nigeyō to shite iru

The suspect is trying to escape through the window.

日が沈もうとしている。

hi ga shizumō to shite iru

The sun is about to set.

Note that last one: 沈む is not a deliberate act, yet the form works. That's a hint that "trying" is the human special case of a broader meaning — "poised on the very edge of happening."

The trap: 〜ようとする vs. 〜ようにする

This is the contrast that catches learners, because both contain よう. But they are opposites in scope.

〜(よ)うとする = a single, momentary attempt or the verge of one action ("tried to open it").
〜(よ)うにする = cultivating an ongoing habit or making a standing effort ("make a point of doing X regularly").

毎日、野菜を食べるようにしている。

mainichi, yasai o taberu yō ni shite iru

I make a point of eating vegetables every day.

子供が野菜を食べようとしない。

kodomo ga yasai o tabeyō to shinai

My kid won't even try to eat vegetables.

The two are worlds apart: the first is a daily discipline; the second (negative 〜ようとしない, "won't even attempt") is about a refusal to try in a specific moment.

💡

The negative 〜(よ)うとしない is worth memorizing on its own: it means "won't even try / stubbornly refuses to." 子供が薬を飲もうとしない = "the kid won't take his medicine (won't even attempt to)." It's stronger and more exasperated than a plain 飲まない ("doesn't drink"), because it denies the very effort.

Note also the **grammatical** giveaway — 〜ようにする attaches to the **dictionary form** (食べる**ようにする**), while 〜ようとする attaches to the **volitional** (食べ**よう**とする). If you see 食べる before よう, it's the habit pattern; if you see 食べよう, it's the attempt.

Not the same as 〜てみる

English "try" hides two different ideas, and Japanese splits them:

〜てみる = "try doing X to see what it's like." You actually complete the action; the point is to sample the result.
〜(よ)うとする = "try to do X," i.e., attempt it — with no guarantee you succeed.

このお店のラーメンを食べてみた。おいしかった。

kono o-mise no rāmen o tabete mita. oishikatta

I tried this shop's ramen (gave it a go). It was delicious.

辛すぎて、食べようとしたけれど食べられなかった。

kara-sugite, tabeyō to shita keredo taberarenakatta

It was so spicy that I tried to eat it but couldn't.

In the first, you ate it. In the second, you never really managed to. Never use 〜ようとする where you mean "give it a whirl and see" — that's 〜てみる.

And not 〜ことにする

〜ことにする means "decide to." It's about resolving on a course of action, not attempting one. 留学しようとした means "I attempted to study abroad (and something got in the way)"; 留学することにした means "I decided to study abroad." Keep the syllables from misleading you — 〜ようとする is momentary and effortful, 〜ことにする is a settled decision.

Comparison with English

English "was about to" and "tried to" are two separate constructions; Japanese fuses them into one, because both sit at the same conceptual point — the boundary between intending and doing. That's why 〜ようとする can shade from a deliberate human attempt (立とうとする, "trying to stand") to an impersonal imminence (沈もうとする, "about to set"): the form marks the threshold of the action, and whether that threshold is reached by will or by nature is left to context.

Common mistakes

❌ 毎日、運動しようとする。

mainichi, undō shiyō to suru

Incorrect for a habit — 〜ようとする is a single momentary attempt, not an ongoing effort.

✅ 毎日、運動するようにしている。

mainichi, undō suru yō ni shite iru

Correct: a cultivated habit takes 〜ようにする.

❌ 新しいカフェを開けようとした。とてもよかった。

atarashii kafe o akeyō to shita. totemo yokatta

Incorrect if you mean 'I tried out the café' — this means 'I attempted to open a door and it says nothing about liking it.'

✅ 新しいカフェに行ってみた。とてもよかった。

atarashii kafe ni itte mita. totemo yokatta

Correct: to sample something and see, use 〜てみる.

❌ 留学しようとした。

ryūgaku shiyō to shita

Incorrect if you mean 'I decided to study abroad' — this actually means 'I attempted to study abroad (but couldn't).'

✅ 留学することにした。

ryūgaku suru koto ni shita

Correct: to decide on a course of action, use 〜ことにする.

❌ 電話が鳴った時、出かけるとした。

denwa ga natta toki, dekakeru to shita

Incorrect: 〜とする attaches to the volitional, not the dictionary form.

✅ 出かけようとした時、電話が鳴った。

dekakeyō to shita toki, denwa ga natta

Correct: 出かけよう + とした, 'was about to leave.'

Key takeaways

Volitional + と + する = "was about to" / "tried to" — the threshold of an action.
Past 〜ようとした loves a twist: interruption (…時、〜) or frustration (…が、〜ない).
Progressive 〜ようとしている = "is trying to / is about to," and works even with inanimate subjects (日が沈もうとしている).
Don't confuse it with 〜ようにする (an ongoing habit) — the tell is dictionary-form 食べるようにする vs. volitional 食べようとする.
Not the same as 〜てみる ("give it a go, sampling the result") or 〜ことにする ("decide to").

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