思い立つ
おもいたつ
verb (godan)
to resolve to do, to decide on impulse
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 思い立つ | 思い立たない |
| Present polite | 思い立ちます | 思い立ちません |
| Past | 思い立った | 思い立たなかった |
| Past polite | 思い立ちました | 思い立ちませんでした |
| て form | 思い立って | 思い立たなくて |
| ている present | 思い立っている | 思い立っていない |
| ている polite | 思い立っています | 思い立っていません |
| ている past | 思い立っていた | 思い立っていなかった |
| ている past polite | 思い立っていました | 思い立っていませんでした |
| Conditional ば | 思い立てば | 思い立たなければ |
| Conditional たら | 思い立ったら | 思い立たなかったら |
| Volitional | 思い立とう | — |
| Volitional polite | 思い立ちましょう | — |
| Potential | 思い立てる | 思い立てない |
| Passive | 思い立たれる | 思い立たれない |
| Causative | 思い立たせる | 思い立たせない |
| Imperative | 思い立て | 思い立つな |
1.
to resolve to do, to decide suddenly, to set one's mind to
To suddenly make up one's mind to do something, often on impulse or inspiration. The decision is typically spontaneous rather than the result of long deliberation.
思い立ったらすぐ行動する。
When I make up my mind, I act immediately.
ある日突然、旅に出ようと思い立った。
One day I suddenly resolved to go on a trip.
思い立ったが吉日と言うから、今日から始めよう。
They say there's no day like the day you decide to act, so let's start today.
USAGE:
Emphasizes the moment of sudden decision or inspiration. The decision is spontaneous — if someone 思い立つ something, they haven't been deliberating for a long time.
PROVERB:
思い立ったが吉日 — "The day you decide to act is a lucky day." Encourages acting immediately on one's resolutions rather than procrastinating.
GRAMMAR:
Godan verb ending in つ. Intransitive. Typically followed by と or たら: 〜しようと思い立つ (resolve to do something).
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 思い立ったらすぐ: as soon as one decides
- 〜しようと思い立つ: to resolve to do...
- 思い立ったが吉日: no time like the present