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

Verb［おう］ + とする

Details

About Verb[volitional]とする

When combined with the 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 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.

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.

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)を出(で)ようとしたら、急(きゅう)に雨(あめ)が降(ふ)り始(はじ)めた。

It suddenly started to rain when I was about to leave the house.
部屋(へや)が暗(くら)かったから電気(でんき)を点(つ)けようとしたら、妻(つま)に電気(でんき)を点(つ)けるなと言(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.

Synonyms

Antonyms

〜ようとしない
Not willing to, Not make an effort to, To not attempt or try to, Volitional + としない
Not studied yet

Examples

--:--

一度(いちど)に二(ふた)つのことをしようとするな。

Don't try to do two things at once.

ひよこは親(おや)のように飛(と)ぼうとしても、できなかった。

Even though the chick attempted to fly like its parents, it couldn't.

答(こた)えようとしたのに、隣(となり)の人(ひと)に遮(さえぎ)られた。

I tried to answer but the person next to me cut me off.

見(み)ようとしたわけではないのに、見(み)えてしまいました。

Even though I tried not to look, I inevitably saw it. (It's not like I tried to look)

私(わたし)は止(と)めようとしたのに、言(い)うことを聞(き)いてくれないんです。

I attempted to stop him/her, but he/she never listens to me.

Get more example sentences!
Premium users get access to 12 example sentences on all Grammar Points.
Try Bunpro

Self-Study Sentences

Study your own way!

Add sentences and study them alongside Bunpro sentences.

Try Bunpro

Online
There are no Online resources listed for 「Verb[volitional]とする」.
You can . Resources are constantly updated, come back later to see new additions!

Offline
There are no Offline resources listed for 「Verb[volitional]とする」.
You can . Resources are constantly updated, come back later to see new additions!
Track Resources!
Bunpro tracks all of the resources you’ve visited, and offers relevant bookmarks of physical books to help with offline tracking.
Try Bunpro

Verb[volitional]とする – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (12 in total)

bthnrs
What’s the real difference between this point and ようにする (n4, lesson 7)?
EbonyMidget
The general answer from Stackexchange and HiNative seems to be that ようにする follows the second definition on Bunpro “to make sure that”, whereas ようとする is something you’re going to try to do. Perhaps it’d help to think about the N5 point にする to remember the difference.
FredKore
As I understand it, ようにする is usually attached to habits or larger end goals that you are trying to achieve. ようとする is attached to some effort that you are struggling to do.

ジムに行くようにする。I’m trying to go to the gym. (I’m trying to make it a regular habit, but I just started.)
ジムに行こうとする。I’m trying to go to the gym. (…right now, as we speak, but the wind and rain and traffic is making it impossible!)