打算 and 准备: planning to

打算 + verb is “plan to, intend to”: 我打算去北京. 准备 + verb is “getting ready to”: 他们准备明天出发. Both point to the future. “Don't plan to” is 不打算; “not ready yet” is 还没准备好.

Examples

• 你周末打算做什么？ Nǐ zhōumò dǎsuàn zuò shénme? What are you planning to do this weekend?
• 我打算明年去北京学汉语。 Wǒ dǎsuàn míngnián qù Běijīng xué Hànyǔ. I plan to go to Beijing next year to study Chinese.
• 他们准备明天出发。 Tāmen zhǔnbèi míngtiān chūfā. They're getting ready to set off tomorrow.

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