the different usages of つもり?

Question

Hi all I understand that つもり means "intention" like say 夏休みにはゆっくり休むつもりです。 = I intend to rest during the summer vacation. But what does 分かっているつもりだ。 means? Well if I translate directly, it seems to be "I intend to be in the know" ? However the translation (not by me) was "I know that." I'm just wondering how did it work out to be that way? What is the significance of that つもり in that question?

Answer 1

I'm going to defer to the handy 日本語文型辞典 to give you a very exhaustive answer to this.

In a nutshell, here are all the usages of つもり:

1. するつもり／しないつもり

I intend to do X. / I intend not to do X.

2. するつもりはない

I have no intentions of doing X.

3. するつもりではない / するつもりではなかった

I don't mean to. / I didn't mean to. <--used a lot in apologies or clarifications

4. するつもりで

(I did Y) with the intention of X.

例文：今日限りで辞めるつもりで、上司に話しに行った (I went to talk to my boss, intending to quit today.)

5. つもりだ（った）

(I considered/believed) it is/was X

練習のつもりだった <--I meant it as a practice (game)

元気なつもりだった <--I was sure I felt good

まだまだ気は若いつもりだ <--I still feel young (lit. "I strongly believe I'm still young at heart.")

よく調べて書いたつもりですが、まだ間違いがあるかもしれません <--I'm sure I researched things well before I wrote this, but there might still be some mistakes.

毎日ベストを尽くしているつもりです <--I'm positive I'm doing my best everyday

6. Counterfactual つもりだ

あの人、女王のつもりかしら <--Does that girl think she's queen (of everything)?

あの人は自分では有能なつもりだが・・・ <--He might think he's capable [of handling this] by himself (but he's not)

君はちゃんと説明したつもりかもしれないが・・・ <--You might think you've explained this thoroughly... (but you haven't)

彼女は全てを知っているつもりだが、本当は何も知らない <--She thinks she knows everything, but really she's clueless.

7. したつもりはない

"[You think I did X, but] I'm positive I didn't do X."

私はそんなことを言ったつもりはない <--I'm sure I didn't say anything like that

あの人、怒ってるの？からかったつもりはないんだけどねえ <--Is he upset? I'm sure I didn't tease him or anything.

困ったな。褒めたつもりはないんだけどな <--Aw man. I'm sure I didn't complement him (You'd say this if someone thought you complemented them and got really excited about it, but really you didn't complement them and you don't want anyone to incorrectly think you did.)

8. したつもりで

SUBECT performed Y action like they'd Xed

学生たちはプロのモデルになったつもりで、いろいろなポーズをとった <--The students made several different poses, like they'd become pro models.

昔に戻ったつもりで、もう一度１からやり直してみます <--I'm going to do things over one more time, like I've gone back to the olden days

プロジェクトがもう終わったつもりで、飲みに行った <--He went drinking like the project was already over

***

For 分かっているつもりです, this would align most closely to Usage 5. So I would be inclined to translate 分かっているつもりです as "I'm sure I understand/know." This sounds like something you'd say kind of sassily, like 自分がやっていることは分かっているつもりです <--I know what I'm doing/(I'd like to think) I know what I'm doing.

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

It is a way to say "I intend to understand" or "I thought I was understanding that"

It's an expression of partial certainty