たつもりはない

The expression たつもりはない is used to deny that one has done something or to assert that one did not intend a particular interpretation of one's actions. It combines the past tense た + つもり ("intention/belief") + はない ("there is no"), creating a structure that means "I have no intention of having done ~" or "I didn't mean to ~".

This pattern is distinct from the more basic するつもりはない ("I have no intention of doing ~"), which refers to future actions. With たつもりはない, the speaker acknowledges that something may have happened or may appear to have happened, but denies that it was intentional or rejects that interpretation of their behavior.

Denying intention behind a past action

When someone is accused of or questioned about something they did, they can use たつもりはない to assert that the outcome was unintentional.

Rejecting someone else's interpretation

The speaker may use this pattern to push back against how others perceive their actions – insisting that the characterization is wrong.

Subjective self-assessment

Sometimes たつもりはない is used not to deny intention but to express the speaker's own belief about whether they have done something – often implying "as far as I'm concerned, I haven't done that."

This nuance highlights the subjective nature of つもり – it reflects the speaker's internal assessment, which may differ from external reality.

Polite form

In formal or polite contexts, はない becomes はありません.