The sentence ending particles (終助詞, しゅうじょし) are placed, unsurprisingly, at the end of sentences and apply to it as a whole. These include for example the question marker, か, and a host of others that express the speaker's emotions. Used mostly in speech.
か (interrogative)
Question mark, used to indicate the sentence is a question. Note that か replaces だ instead of appearing after it, so you can either omit the copula at all, or use a full form (で ある).
| あのひと は だれ です か？ | Who is that man? |
| たなかさん は せんせい です か？ | Is Mr. Tanaka a teacher? |
The particle may also follow question pronouns with the meaning of some as in someone:
| だれ か | somebody |
| どこ か | somewhere |
の (emphatic interrogative)
An emphatic question mark (mostly expresses reconfirmation or surprise):
| いい の？ | Is it okay? |
| どこに行くの? | Where are we going? |
An explanation particle, often indicates that the statement is intended to explain something or to provide information:
| かわちゃんはだいがくせいなの。 | Kawa-chan is a college student. |
ね (emphasis and confirmation)
Polite and expresses
- the speaker's desire to receive confirmation (rising intonation), or
- the speaker's agreement (falling intonation).
Often translated as "isn't it so", "don't you think so" or "don't you agree with me". Also used as a polite or friendly sentence ending. Some people end virtually every sentence with "ね".
| それ は むずかしい ね。↑ | It's difficult, isn't it? |
| それ は むずかしい ね。↓ | That sure is difficult. |
| たなかさん は すごい ひと だ ね...↓ | Mr. Tanaka is a great guy... |
Also works as "phrase softener", i.e., it makes the phrase sound softer. Lengthening the syllable makes it more emphatic. The lengthening is usually indicated with a tilde:
| きれい だ ね~↓ | It's so beautiful! |
よ (modality)
Used when providing new information that a speaker has, or like an exclamation mark, also for commands and invitations:
| わかる よ | I understand. |
ぞ (emphasis)
Similar to よ but more objective. Often used as a shout, a call and a yell (not limited to male speakers).
| いく ぞ | I'm going. |
な (admiration)
Informal, used when expressing a personal emotion or desire.
| たなか は ばか だ な... | Tanaka's a fool... |
| さむい なあ | It's so cold. |
(A few speakers tend to prefer using "な" instead of "ね" but deprecated)
な (prohibition)
な can indicate prohibition when placed after action-verbs(present tense). In direct speech, this sounds rude and angry.
| いく な！ | Don't go! |
| みる な！ | Don't look! |
かな (uncertainty)
Indicate that speaker is not sure about something.
| どこ に ある の かな | I wonder, where was it? |
ぜ (inducement)
Sometimes seen as catchphrases, but rather old-fashioned, thus used only in a sportive talking . Also sometimes used as a vulgar よ.
| おい、にげる ぜ | Hey, I'm getting out of here! |
わ (modality)
Declares a personal thought. Almost similar to よ but expresses fewer attention:
| あした行くわ。 | I will go tomorrow. |
さ (interjection, emphasis)
Filler particle, used to draw attention with a pause (unlike よ, not implying any command or new information is communicated):
| あの さ | hey |