Breakdown of watasi ha natu ni mizikai zikan dake hataraku tumori desu.
はha
topic particle
ですdesu
to be
私watasi
I
にni
time particle
夏natu
summer
時間zikan
time
働くhataraku
to work
短いmizikai
short
だけdake
only
つもりtumori
intention, plan
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Questions & Answers about watasi ha natu ni mizikai zikan dake hataraku tumori desu.
Why is は used after 私?
In Japanese, は is the topic marker, not necessarily the subject marker. By saying 私 は, you’re establishing “as for me…” as the context for the rest of the sentence. In English we might just say “I…” but Japanese often highlights the topic first.
Why is に used after 夏?
The particle に marks a point in time or period when something happens. Here 夏 に means “in the summer.” Without に, 夏 would be just a noun; に tells us “when” you plan to work.
How does 短い 時間 function in this sentence?
短い is an i-adjective meaning “short,” and it directly modifies 時間 (“time”). Together 短い 時間 means “a short time.” In Japanese, adjectives always come before the noun they describe.
What does だけ mean, and why is it placed after 短い 時間?
だけ means “only” or “just.” Placed right after 短い 時間, it limits the duration: “only for a short time.” The general rule is that だけ follows the noun or noun phrase it restricts.
Why is 働く in its dictionary (plain) form and not the ます-form?
When you attach つもり (“intention”) to a verb, you use the verb’s plain (dictionary) form. So you say 働く つもり rather than 働きます つもり. The polite form goes on つもり as つもりです.
What does つもりです express here?
つもりです expresses the speaker’s plan or intention. Saying 働く つもりです means “I intend to work.” It’s equivalent to “I’m planning to work” or “I mean to work.”
Why is there a です after つもり?
つもり by itself behaves like a noun. To make the sentence polite, you add the copula です after that noun: つもり です. In casual speech you might hear つもりだ instead.
Could you omit 私 in this sentence?
Yes. In Japanese, subjects or topics are often dropped when they’re clear from context. If it’s obvious you’re talking about yourself, you could say:
夏 に 短い 時間 だけ 働く つもり です。
It remains polite and understandable.
What’s the difference between だけ and しか … ない?
Both express limitation, but they structure sentences differently. With だけ, you say noun だけ ＋ positive verb:
短い 時間 だけ 働く = “work only a short time.”
With しか, you say noun しか ＋ negative verb:
短い 時間 しか 働かない = “work nothing but a short time.” The nuance is similar, but しか forces a negative verb form.
Could I say 夏だけ働くつもりです instead?
You could, but that means “I intend to work only during the summer,” without implying it’s a short stint each day. Your original 夏 に 短い 時間 だけ 働く つもり です specifically says “I plan to work only for short periods during the summer.”