Japanese from zero · N4 Lesson 21

I wonder…

〜かな・〜かしら・〜じゃないか・〜かい・ casual endings compared

In this lesson, you will learn to wonder out loud in casual Japanese (〜かな, and the softer 〜かしら), to say 'why, it's…!' when something surprises you (〜じゃないか), and to recognize the gentle question an older man asks with 〜かい, the way Mr. Sato does when he finds Lisa and Minju still awake. You will also practice choosing the right ending for a casual sentence.

By the end you will be able to say

明日は晴れるかな。I wonder if it will be sunny tomorrow.

ひろはもう寝たかしら。I wonder if Hiro is asleep already.

もう一時じゃないか。Why, it's already one o'clock!

お茶、飲むかい。Would you like some tea?

確か、明日はテストだよね。If I remember right, there's a test tomorrow, isn't there?

The grammar in this lesson

I wonder: 〜かな / 〜かしら — かな at the end of a casual sentence wonders out loud; かしら means the same and sounds softer.
Why, it's…!: 〜じゃないか / 〜ではないか — じゃないか after a plain form or a noun shows surprise ('why, it's…!') or asks the listener to agree; it is not a negative.
A gentle question: 〜かい — かい after a plain form makes a friendly yes/no question, used mostly by older men and by adults talking to children.
Choosing the ending: よ, ね, よね, かな, の — In casual talk the last little word tells the listener what you mean: news, agreement, checking, wondering or a soft question.