Question about つもり [Nagoyankee? :D]
 

I just can't seem to grasp WHERE in the sentence it goes, I understand how it's used (even when it means two different things, 1. intention and 2. belief).

I just don't know where in the sentence it goes. I also put Nagoyankee in the title to hopefully attract his attention to this thread, as I know he can answer it.

つもり has many meanings and shades of meaning than just two. I will discuss only those that are in common use today.

Intention:

今日行くつもりだったが行かなかった。= I had intended to go today but I didn't.

この週末中に宿題を終えるつもりです。= I intend to finish my homework during this weekend.

メアリーを傷つけるつもりはなかったが、結果として傷 つけてしまった。= I had no intention of hurting Mary but as a reslt, I hurt her.

Estimation:

2,000 ドルあれば日本へ行けるつもりだったが、3,000 ドルくらいかかるみたいだ。= I had thought that 2,000 dollars would take me to Japan, but it seems it would take 3,000.

Make believe:

ゲームを買ったつもりで5,000円貯金した。 I saved 5,000 yen thinking (or making myself believe) that I had bought a game.

There used to be an instant ramen named "行ったつもりで北海道".　Hokkaido is well-known for its ramen among many other foods. Honshu people dream of going there but some don't get to do so because Hokkaido is far away and a trip there can be very expensive.
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As you see, つもり is mostly placed after the verb. But there are exceptions.

回転ずしへ行った。一皿１３０円のつもりが１５０円だ った。= I went to the conveyor belt sushi. I thought it cost 130 yen a plate but it actually cost 150 yen. (Estimation based on old information.)

Interesting, I never knew about the estimation one.

So, even though there are exceptions, つもり is usually a post-verb kind of thing? Just so I can remember for now, until I get more used to it?

Yes. The verb in front modifies the つもり. But be sure that that verb is not the main verb of the sentence.

AH! That is very important information, thank you! So a sentence like (I'll make one up):

今日食べ物食べるつもりだ。

Would that be a legit sentence?

今日、食べ物を食べるつもりだ。

Oop, しまった。 I intended to put を, hahaha. Guess I was distracted.

How ironic that I intended (つもり) to put を.