A Japanese castle tower behind cherry blossoms

Study Resource: Summary of Japanese sentence-ending particles

By: Mayumi Ito

Associated Articles

These activities are part of our Japanese Grammar series. The skills we are practicing here are covered in our articles:

よ [yo], ね [ne], and よね [yo ne]

	よ[yo]	ね[ne]	よね[yo ne]
Structures	plain form + よ	plain form + ね	plain form + よね
Structures	polite form + よ	polite form + ね	polite form + よね
Gender	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
Main function	Drawing attention of the listener to something the listener doesn’t know	Showing or asking for empathy; “checking in”	Seeking confirmation
Functions & examples	Notification: あっ、忘れ物ですよ。➚ A, Iwasuremono desu yo.➚ Oh, you forgot something! Advice / warning: よそ見すると危ないよ。➚ A, Iwasuremono desu yo.➚ It’s dangerous to look away, you know? New information: みんな元気ですよ。➚ おかげさまで。 Min'na genki desu yo.➚ Okagesama de. We are all fine. Thank you. New information (Dissatisfaction): うるさいなあ。今起きるよ。➙ Urusai nā. Ima okiru yo. ➙ You’re so loud. I’m getting up now, you know. Invitation: この辺で少し休みましょうよ。➙ Kono hen de sukoshi yasumimashō yo.➙ Let’s rest a little around here, shall we? Request: 向こうに着いたら電話してよ。➚ Mukō ni tsuitara, denwa shite yo.➚ Call me when you get there, OK? → feminine Command: 体に気をつけろよ。➚ Karada ni ki o tsukero yo.➚ Take care of yourself, OK? → masculine Command (accusational): 時間がないんだ。さっさと歩けよ。➙ Jikan ga nainda. Sassa to aruke yo.➙ We don’t have time. Walk quickly, I tell you. → masculine	Agreement: 今日はいい天気ですね。➙ 本当にそうですね。 ➙ Kyō wa ii tenki desu ne. ➙ Hōntō ni sō desu ne. ➙ It’s a fine day today, isn’t it! It is indeed, isn’t it! Ask for confirmation: パーティーは土曜日ですね？ ➚ Pātii wa doyōbi desu ne? ➚ The party is on Saturday, right? New Information (after some thoughts): 一番大事なものは何ですか。うーん・・・やっぱり家族ですね。➙ Ichiban daijina mono wa nan desu ka. Ūn…yappari kazoku desu ne.➙ What is the most important thing for you? Hmmm…it’s got to be my family after all, you know? Check understanding: 天ぷら定食お願いします。天ぷら定食ですね。➚　少々お待ちください。 Tenpura teishoku onegai shimasu. Tenpura teishoku desu ne. ➚ Shōshō omachikudasai. Tempura Special, please. Tempura Special, right? Please wait a moment. Sharing emotion (ね or ねえ): わあ、桜が満開！きれいですねえ。➘ Wā, sakura ga mankai! Kirei desu nē➘ Wow, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom! They are beautiful, aren’t they! Comments on the listener (new discovery): へえ、友香さんって、絵がじょうずだね。➙ Hē, Yuka san tte, e ga jōzu da ne.➙ Oh, you are good at drawing, aren’t you, Yuka? Request: 必ず連絡してね。➚ Kanarazu renraku shite ne. ➚ Please contact me by all means, OK? → feminine Invitation: また一緒に行こうね。➚ Mata issho ni ikō ne. ➚ Let’s go there together again, OK? Instruction: 先生の話をよく聞きなさいね。➚ Sensei no hanashi o yoku kikinasai ne.➚ Listen carefully to your teacher, OK?	Confirmation: ねえ、戸締まりちゃんとしてくれたよね。➚ Nē, tojimari chanto shite kureta yo ne.➚ Say, you did lock up the place as I asked, right? Comments on the listener (foreknowledge): 友香さんって、本当に絵がじょうずだよね。➙ Yuka san tte, hontō ni e ga jōzu da yo ne.➙ You are really good at drawing, aren’t you, Yuka? Activation of the listener's knowledge: この先にデパートがありますよね。➚ 銀行はその隣です。 Kono saki ni depāto ga arimasu yo ne. ➚ Ginkō wa sono tonari desu. There is a department store ahead, right? The bank is next to it. Accusation / complaint: そんなこと、今言われても困るんだよね。➙ Son’na koto, ima iwarete mo komaru n da yo ne.➙ Saying such things to me now doesn’t help, you know.

か [ka], かな [kana], and っけ [kke]

	か[ka]	かな[kana]	っけ[kke]
Structures	polite form + かか is often omitted in the plain style. Before か, だ[da] that follows a noun or na-adjective is often omitted.	plain form / i-adj + かな Before かな, だ[da] that follows a noun or na-adjective is often omitted.	ta-form (〜た / だ) + っけ
Structures		polite form + かな (by older males)	ta-form (〜た / だ) + っけ
Gender	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
Main function	Question marker	Expressing doubts	Indicating that the speaker's memory is uncertain
Functions & examples	Question: 学生さんですか。➚ Gakusei-san desu ka.➚ Are you a student? Question: 学校はどちらですか。➚ Gakkō wa dochira desu ka.➚ What school do you go to? Indirect question: 会議が何時に始まるか ➙まだ聞いていない。 Kaigi ga nanji ni hajimaru ka ➙ mada kiite inai. I still haven’t heard what time the meeting starts. Doubt: 子供たちだけで大丈夫でしょうか。➙ Kodomotachi dake de daijōbu deshō ka. ➙ I wonder if the children are alright on their own. Uncertainty: 明日は雪になるそうですよ。えっ、そうですか。➙/➘ 困ったなあ。 Ashita wa yuki ni naru sō desu yo. E, sō desu ka. ➙/➘ Komatta nā. I’ve heard that it’s going to snow tomorrow. Oh, is that so? That’s not good. Invitation: 明日うちに来ませんか。➚ Ashita uchi ni kimasen ka.➚ Call me when you get there, OK? Urging: ふくれるのもいい加減にしないか。➙ Fukureru no mo ii kagen ni shinai ka.➙ Why don’t you stop sulking already? Accusation: だから言ったじゃないか。➙/➘ Dakara itta ja nai ka. ➙/➘ I told you so, didn’t I! Activation of the listener's knowledge: 大丈夫！まだ明日もあるじゃないですか。➙ Mukashi koko ni eigakan ga atta ja nai desu ka.➙ There once was a movie theater here, remember? Acceptance of new facts: ああ、犯人は執事だったか。➙ Ā, han’nin wa shitsuji datta ka. ➙ I told you so, didn’t I!	In a question: 明日も雨かな。➙ うん、たぶん。 Ashita mo ame kana.➙ Un, tabun. Do you think it’s going to rain tomorrow too? Yeah, probably.	In a question: すみません、会議は１２時からでしたっけ。➙ いえ、２時からですよ。 Sumimasen, kaigi wa jūni ji kara deshitakke.➙ Ie, ni ji kara desu yo. Excuse me, does the meeting start at 12 o'clock? No, it starts at 2 o'clock.

Gendered Sentence-Enders

	なあ[nā]	の[no]	わ[wa]
Structures	polite form + なあ	plain form + の	plain form + わ
Structures	polite form + なあ (by older males)	polite form + の Before かな, だ[da] that follows a noun or na-adjective is often omitted.	polite form + わ
Gender	Neutral (sometimes masculine)	Feminine (sometimes neutral)	Feminine
Main function	Expressing deep emotions	Question, explanation	Feminine marker, light-hearted
Functions & examples	Discovery: ああ、桜がきれいだなあ。➘ Ā, sakura ga kirei da nā.➘ Ah, the cherry blossoms are beautiful! Remembering the past: 昨日食べた寿司はおいしかったなあ。➘ Kinō tabeta sushi wa oishikatta nā.➘ The sushi I ate yesterday was delicious! Sharing discovery/emotions (older male): 今日も暑いですなあ。➘ Kyō mo atsui desu nā.➘ It’s hot today too, isn’t it! → masculine	Question (by anybody): どうして起きないの？➚ Dōshite okinai no?➚ Do you think it’s going to rain tomorrow too? Yeah, probably. → gender neutral Explanation (women & children): お腹が痛いの。➙ Onaka ga itai no.➙ (Because) my tummy hurts. → feminine or youthful Emotional emphasis (impressed): ふーん、そんなに猫が好きなの。➘　 Fūn, son’na ni neko ga suki nano.➘ Hmmm, you love cats so much, I see! → → feminine Combined with よ, ね, or よね (disappointment or dissatisfaction): そのコンサート、実は行けなかったのよ。➘　 Sono konsāto, jitsu wa ikenakatta no yo.➘ Actually, I couldn’t go to that concert, you know. → feminine Prohibition: おしゃべりしながら食べないの。➙ Oshaberi shinagarea tabenai no.➙ Don’t talk and eat at the same time. → feminine	Light-hearted assertion: 私の方からお電話しますわ。➚ Watakushi no hō kara odenwa shimasu wa.➚ I’ll call you. → feminine Expressing emotions: まあ、すてきだわ。➚ Mā, suteki da wa.➚ My, that’s lovely! → feminine Combined with よ, ね, or よね: このお寿司、おいしいわね。➚ Kono osushi, oishii wa ne. ➚ This sushi is delicious, isn’t it? → feminine

	かい[kai]	さ[sa]	もん[mon]
Structures	plain form + かい	plain form + さ	plain form + もん
Structures	na-adj / noun だ + かい	na-adj / noun だ + さ	plain form + もん
Gender	Masculine	Masculine	Feminine
Main function	Old-fashioned question marker	Offering comments in a brusque manner	Explaining reasons
Functions & examples	Question: 凧の揚げ方、知ってるかい。➚ Tako no agekata, shitteru kai?➚ Do you know how to fly a kite? → masculine Strong opposition: そんなこと、あってたまるかい。➙ Son’na koto, atte tamaru kai.➙ Heaven forbid. lit. I’ll never accept such a thing to happen. → masculine	Opinions / observations: 四年も勉強すれば、これくらい読めて当然さ。➙ Yonen mo benkyō sureba, korekurai yomete tōzen sa.➙ Of course I can read this after four years of study. → masculine Consolation: 心配するな。すぐできるようになるさ。➙ Shinpai suru na. Sugu dekiru yōni naru sa.➙ Don’t worry. You’ll be able to do it in no time. lit. I’ll never accept such a thing to happen. → masculine Talking back / accusation: どういうことさ。➙ きちんと説明しろよ。 Dōyū koto sa.➙ Kichin to setsumei shiro yo. What do you mean? Explain it to me properly. lit. I’ll never accept such a thing to happen. → masculine Adding rhythms to one’s statements: それでさ、先生がさ、怒ってさあ・・・ Sore de sa, sensei ga sa, okotte sā… And then, you know, our teacher, you know, got mad, you know, and… → gender neutral	Reasons: どうして食べないの？にんじん、嫌いなんだもん。➙ Dōshite tabenai no? Ninjin, kirai nanda mon.➙ Why are you not eating? Because I don’t like carrots. → feminine Validating oneself: そんなこと、私だって知ってるもん。➙ Son’na koto, watashi datte shitteru mon.➙ Even I know that! → feminine

	かしら[kashira]	な[na]	ぞ[zo]
Structures	plain verb / i-adj + かしら	depends on the use (see below)	plain form + ぞ
Structures	na-adj / noun だ + かしら	depends on the use (see below)	polite form + ぞ (used by older manservant)
Gender	Feminine	Masculine	Masculine
Main function	Expressing doubts	Prohibition / command / agreement, confirmation	Expressing the speaker’s strong will
Functions & examples	Expressing doubts: 佐藤さん、ほんとに来てくれるかしら。➙ Satō san, honto ni kite kureru kashira.➙ I wonder if Ms. Sato will really come for us. → feminine	Prohibition (dictionary form + な): おい、家の中であばれるな。➙ Oi, ie no naka de abareru na. ➙ Hey, don’t play rough in the house! → masculine Commands (Verb ます + な): もっと食べなよ。➙ Motto tabe na yo. ➙ Eat more. lit. I’ll never accept such a thing to happen. → masculine Seeking confirmation (plain form + な): よし。わかったな。➚ Yoshi. Wakatta na.➚ Good. You understood it, right? lit. I’ll never accept such a thing to happen. → masculine Seeking agreement (plain form + な): 今日は暑すぎるよな。➙ Kyō wa atsusugiru yo na.➙ It’s too hot today, don’t you think? → masculine	Strong will / opinions: 今日の試合は絶対勝つぞ。➙ Kyō no shiai wa zettai katsu zo.➙ I’ll definitely win today’s game! → masculine Emphasis: もう９時だぞ。➙　そろそろ起きろ。 Mō ku ji da zo.➙ Sorosoro okiro. It’s 9:00 already! About time to get up. → masculine

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