An intention is what you mean to do or what you plan to accomplish. Your intention is the aim or purpose behind your actions. When you raise your hand in class, your intention might be to answer a question or to ask for help. When you practice piano every day, your intention is to improve your skills.

Intentions exist in your mind before you act. Someone might accidentally bump into you in the hallway, but if they had no intention of doing it, they didn't mean to hurt you. That's why people often say “I didn't mean to!” when something goes wrong. They're explaining that their intention was different from what actually happened.

The word matters because intentions help us understand why people do things. If your friend forgets your birthday, knowing whether they intended to hurt your feelings or simply got busy makes a big difference. Teachers and parents often consider your intentions when deciding how to respond to your choices. Doing something wrong accidentally is different from doing it intentionally, which means doing it on purpose.

Having good intentions means wanting to do the right thing, even if things don't always work out perfectly. When you set out to help a classmate or make someone's day better, that positive intention shapes your decisions and actions.