「いつもきれいにしているね。」
= Itsumo kirei ni shiteirune.
= You always make yourself so clean, don’t you?
「まあね!」
= Maane!
= I guess so.
Hi everyone!
Levo-Sensei is back again to do some guest-teaching for us!
He will teach you when / how to use the suffix ね ( = ne).
******
みなさん、こんにちは！Levoですよ。
= Minasan, konnchiwa! Levo desuyo.
= Hello everyone. I’m Levo.
Some of you might say ね ( = ne) is a suffix that only women use so you don’t need to learn it.
It’s true that some usages of ね ( = ne) is very feminine but other usages of ね ( = ne) are “unisex”.
How and when to use ね ( = ne):
There are many uses of ね ( = ne) but overall, the main function of ね ( = ne) is to soften the tone of your speech and make it sound more friendlier.
1) Expressing your opinion or making your point.
“LIKE” on Facebook is いいね ( = iine) in Japanese
It means “It’s good!” / “I think it’s good!”
Ex. 髪を切ったの？いいね。
= Kami wo kittano? Iine.
= You got your hair cut? That’s nice!
Ex. そうだといいね。
= Soudato iine.
= I hope so.
Ex. 今日はかわいいね。
= Kyou wa Kawaiine.
= You look cute today.
Ex. 何を食べているんですか？美味しそうですね。
= Nani wo tabete irun desu ka? Oishisou desu ne.
= What are you eating? It looks delicious.
Ex. これ、昨日、借りた１０００円ね。
= Kore, kinou, karita sen-en ne.
= Here’s 1000 yen that I borrowed from you yesterday.
Ex. この間は、 ありがとね。
= Kono aida wa, arigatone.
= Thank you for the other day.
Note: ありがと (=arigato) is a casual contraction of ありがとう ( = arigatou ne)
Ex. 「例のニュース聞いた？」
= Rei no nyuusu kiita?
= Did you hear that news?
「うん、怖いね。」
= Un, kowaine.
= Yeah, scary, right?
Ex. 私はそうは思いませんね。
= Watashi wa souwa omoimasen ne.
= I don’t think so.
Ex. いつもマギーは笑っているね。
= Itsumo Maggie wa waratte irune.
= You are always smiling, Maggie.
Ex. 今日、支払ってくれないんですか？それは困りましたね。
= Kyou, shiharattekurenain desuka? Sore wa komarimashitane.
= You are not going to pay me today? That would be a problem.
2) Asking someone for an agreement. / When you want to share the same kind of feelings with others.
☆verb plain form + ね ( = ne)
Ex. 日本に行きたいね。
= Nihon ni ikitaine.
= I’d love to go to Japan. / It would be nice if I could go to Japan. (Don’t you agree? / You, too, right?)
(more polite)
Ex.日本に行きたいですね。
= Nihon ni ikitai desune
Ex. もうこの文法は習ったね。
= Mou kono bunpou wa narattane.
= We have already studied this grammar, right?
Ex. 私達も高山に去年行ったね。
= Watashitachi mo Takayama ni kyonen ittane.
= We went to Takayama last year, too, huh?
☆i-adjective+ ね ( = ne)
Ex. 今日は暑いね。
= Kyou wa atsuine.
= It’s hot today, isn’t it?
Ex. マギー先生のレッスンは面白いね。 !niconico!
= Maggie Sensei no ressun wa omoshiroine.
= Maggie Sensei’s lessons are interesting, huh?
Ex. これはひどいね。
= Kore wa hidoine.
= This is awful, isn’t it?
☆na-adjective 〜だ ( = da) + ね ( = ne)
Ex. 花がきれいだね。
= Hana ga kireidane.
= Beautiful flowers, aren’t they?
Ex. いつも元気だね。
=Istumo genki dane
= You are always so energetic, aren’t you?
3) Asking someone to do something together.
〜たいね ( = taine )
Ex. 京都にまた行きたいね。
= Kyouto ni mata ikitaine.
= It would be nice to go to Kyoto again together.
Note : If you say
京都にまた行きたい。
= Kyouto ni mata ikitai.
= I want to go to Kyoto.
It is simply expressing what you want to do.
By adding ね ( = ne), you are asking a listener to do something together.
4) Telling someone what you are going to do / Expressing your will/intention
Ex. 来年、日本に行きますね。
= Rainen, nihon ni ikimasu ne.
= I am going to Japan next year.
Ex.着いたら電話するね。
= Tsuitara denwa surune.
= I will call you when I get there.
Ex. 今日は私 ( or 僕*)がおごるね。
= Kyou wa watashi (or boku) ga ogorune.
= It’s on me today.
(*僕 ( = boku ) is an informal first person pronoun for men.)
5) Asking someone to do something / not to do something
Ex. このCD貸してね。
= Kono CD kashitene.
= Lend me this CD, OK?
Ex. 明日までに宿題をやってくださいね。
Ex. 是非、日本に留学してね。
= Zehi, nihon ni ryuugaku shitene.
= Please come study in Japan by all means.
Ex. 何かあったら連絡してね。
= Nanka attara renraku shitene.
= Let me know if anything happens.
Ex. メールちょうだいね。
= Meiru choudaine.
= Send me an email, OK?
Ex. もう、そういうことしないでね。
= Mou, souiu koto shinaide ne.
= Please don’t do such a thing again.
6) To make sure something, to confirm something.
Ex. この薬は食後に飲めばいいんですね。
= Kono kusuri wa shokugo ni nomeba iin desune.
= I should take this medicine after every meal, right?
Ex. 暗証番号は1234ですね。
= Anshou bangou wa ichi nii san shii desune.
= Your PIN code is 1234, right?
Ex. 「そこにあるお菓子もっていってね。」
= Soko ni aru okashi motte itte ne.
= Take some sweets over there.
「ああ、これね。有り難う。」
= Aa, korene. Arigatou.
= Oh, you mean this? Thank you.
Note: If you want to confirm something that you are almost sure, use よね(=yone)
いいんですよね。
= Iindesu yone.
Ex. 私達って付き合っているんだよね。
= Watashitachi tte tsukiatte irun dayone.
= We are exclusive, right? (We are dating only each other now.)
Ex. 明日、迎えに来てくれるよね。
= Ashita, mukaeni kite kureru yone.
= You are picking me up tomorrow, right?
Ex. お砂糖、スプーンに一杯でいいんだよね。
= Osatou, supuun ni ippai de iin dayone.
= You want just a spoonful of sugar right?
7) Telling a story / To tell someone what happened or explaining why you do something.
☆verb て( = te) form + ね ( = ne)
Ex. 昨日、またあの店に行ってね、美味しいビールを飲んだきたよ。
= Kinou, mata ano mise ni itte ne, oishii biiru wo nonde kita yo.
= I went back to the bar again yesterday and had a good beer.
Ex. 彼女とは昔いろいろあってね。
= Kanojo to wa mukashi iroiro attene.
= I had some history with her, you know.
Ex.「どうしてこの店で買わないの？」
= Doushite kono mise de kawanaino?
= Why don’t you shop at this store?
「他の店の方が安いと思ってね。」
= Hoka no mise no hou ga yasui to omotte ne.
= I thought other stores were cheaper so…
(more polite : 思いましてね ( = omoimahistene)）
Ex.「ちょっと熱が出てね。明日は会えないよ。」
= Chotto netsu ga dete ne. Ashita wa aenai yo.
= I have a slight fever so I can’t see you tomorrow.
（more polite 出ましてね ( = demashite ne))
Ex. 会社やめたんだ。ちょっともめてね。
= Kaisha yametan da. Chotto mometene.
= I quit my job. I had some trouble you know.
5) As a gap filler that you use while thinking what to say
usually we stretch the sound ねえ, ねー, ね〜 ( = nee)
There is no meaning but just to fill the gap
Ex. 昔はねえ、子供は外でもっと遊んでいたものなんだよ。
= Mukashi wa nee, kodomo wa soto de motto asonde ita mono nan dayo.
= You know children used to play outdoors more in the old days.
Ex. 「来年、日本に来るの？」
= Rainen, nihon ni kuruno?
= Are you coming to Japan?
「それはね～まだ何ともいえないなあ。 」
= Sorewa nee mada nanto mo ienai naa.
= Well… I don’t know yet.
Ex. 実はねえ、来年、結婚するんだ。
= Jitsuwa nee, rainen, kekkon surunda.
= Actually, I am going to get married next year.
Ex. この犬はねえ、僕にとっては家族と同じぐらい大切なんだよ。
= Kono inu wa nee, boku ni totte wa kazoku to onaji gurai taisetu nan dayo.
= You know this dog is as important to me as my family.
8) When you talk to someone / When you need someone’s attention (slightly feminine or childish)
Ex. ねえ、知ってる？
= Nee, shitteru?
= Hey, you know…
Ex. ねえ、今日、カレー食べない？
= Nee, kyou karee tabenai?
= Hey, do you wanna eat curry today?
Ex. ねえねえ、これ見て。
= Neenee, kore mite.
= Hey look at this!
Sometimes we just keep going on and on
Ex.ねーねーねー（ねえ、ねえ、ねえ）
= Nee nee nee…
= Hey, hey, hey (Heeeey)
Ex. あのね、もう何回も言っていると思うんだけど自分のことは自分でしたら？
= Anone, mou nankai mo itte iruto omoundakedo jibun no koto wa jibun de shitara?
= You know, I think I have told you many times but why don’t you take care of your own business?
9) Just make it sound friendlier.
Ex. じゃあね。
= Jaane.
= See you!
Ex. じゃあ、またね。
= Jaa matane.
= See you later/ sometime!
Ex. がんばってね。
= Ganbattene!
= Good luck! / Hang in there!
10) ね ( = ne) for women
So what is the usage of ね ( = ne) that only women use?
:u:
(1) ☆na-adjective ～い ( = i) + ね ( = ne)
Ex. きれいね。
= Kireine.
= It’s beautiful.
(Female speech)
As I explained above, if you add ね ( = ne) after だ ( = da), men can use it.
Ex. きれいだね
= Kireidane.
(both women and men say that.)
*わね (= wane)
Ex. 暑いわね。
= Atsui wane.
= It’s hot, isn’t it?
(2) *わよね ( = wayone)
Ex. もう日本に行ったわよね。
= Mou Nihon ni itta wayone.
= You have been to Japan already, right?
Note: If there is no わ ( = wa), it sounds neutral.
もう日本に行ったよね。
= Mou Nihon ni itta yone.
*そうね ( = soune) そうよね ( = souyone) = I agree, it’s right.
Ex. もう帰らない？
= Mou kaeranai?
= We should go home now.
そうね、もう８時だし。
= Soune, mou hachiji dashi.
= You are right. It’s already 8:00 so…
Note: そうですね ( = soundesune) is neutral
Ex. そうですね。もう８時ですし。
= Soudesune. Mou hachiji desushi.
!heart3! From the picture above:
「いつもきれいにしているね。」
= Itsumo kirei ni shiteirune.
= You always make yourself so clean, don’t you?
「まあね!」
= Maane!
= I guess!
Note : まあね ( = maane) also means “sort of/ kind of”
*When a girl wants to share the same feelings with others
Ex. A: 「美香ちゃんと私は友達だもんね～！」
= Mikachan to watashi wa tomodachi damon ne ~!
= (talking to Mika) We ARE good friends!
Mika 「ね～！！」
= Nee!
= That’s right!!
If you want to learn more about female speech go check this lesson.
マギー先生より = Maggie sensei yori = From Maggie sensei
Levo先生、これで３回目のレッスンになりますね。
= Levo Sensei, kore de sankai me no ressun ni narimasune.
= This is your third lesson for you, isn’t it?
また教えにきてね。
= Mata oshieni kitene.
= Please come back to teach again.
***
Could you be my Patron?
I appreciate your support! サポートありがとう！
41 Comments
@先生 一つも問題がある.
かね is just to express opinion or doubt about something. ね of Confirmation is also used like I assume xyz, can you confirm it format.
先生は僕にかねとね(of confirmation)の違いって教えてください
ありがとうございます
Ah.. OK, as you said かね is used when you ask a question or express your doubts when you talk to someone younger (ex. children) or your subordinators.
ここはどこですか？
→ここはどこかね？ (male speech)
お母さんは元気？
お母さんは元気かね？ (male speech)
こんなので書けるのかなあ。(expressing your doubt)
こんなので書けるのかねえ。(I guess older women also say that)
Maggie 先生, ありがとう My doubt regarding からね/てね has been solved because of your lesson ! :).
先生 can you please tell the difference between the Seeking Agreement ね Like いいね, かわいいね and でしょう used for seeking agreement when having rising intonation e.g. かわいいでしょう, which has similar meaning like ね i.e. cute isn’t it?
If the answer is too big for your comment could you please consider it for a separate lesson, as there are hardly detailed answers on this topic お願いいたします.
Hello Apoorv Phillips
As I wrote in this lesson, いいね and かわいいね belong to the usage 1) to express one’s opinion. You say them even when you are not seeking for the listener’s agreement.
On the other hand you use でしょう, いいでしょう/ かわいいでしょう when seek approval in a strong way.
Please imagine, if you see someone has something nice or cute, you react saying
いいね or かわいいね to give that person your opinion but you don’t say いいでしょう・かわいいでしょう。
When you brag something you have, you show it to someone and say
いいでしょう
かわいいでしょう
Don’t you think this is nice/cute?
＠先生 ありがとう for replying. I just wanted to ask is it also something related to the fact that;
The person who uses でしょう, either does not have shared knowledge about that thing and seeks agreement E.g. A wants B to go to Japan with him, as he is his best friend. However, A does not have any shared knowledge of B wanting to go to Japan, So Can A say, 私と一緒に日本に行きますでしょう i.e. use Agreement でしょう
and/or
When he has a shared knowledge his focus is not on that shared knowledge, just like in your example when A already knew that the Dog was cute prior to their encounter, and then says to B when both see that Dog この犬がかわいいでしょう.
If A wants to ask if B wants to go to Japan with A,
私と一緒に日本に行きませんか？ Would you like to go to Japan with me?
私と一緒に日本に行きましょう！ Let’s go to Japan together./ Why don’t you go to Japan with me?
You don’t say 私と一緒に日本に行きますでしょう
**
In the second case, A would say
この犬は、かわいいでしょう。（Not この犬が but the rest is fine）
And i
@先生 ありがとう! Your quick reply, always helps me in progressing faster !
どういたしまして☺️
Dear Maggie 先生 ❤
Please explain for me difference between 2 below sentences:
(1) 私はそうは思いませんね。
(2) 私はそうは思わないんです。
どうもありがとうございます 🌷🌷🌷
Hi Sarang,
(1) When you make your point. (When you are against some people’s opinion.)
(2) It sounds explanatory. You say this and explain why you don’t think so.
Dear Maggie 先生 ❤
First of all, thank you so much for your explanation!!
I can quickly undertand it 😊
But I still have difficult with difference between ね and のです / んです
For example
Q1,
ね : to tell someone what you are going to do / express your will, your attention (usage no. 4)
Vs
のです : to introduce some topics (usage no. 5)
Here is ex in “のです lesson”
来週, 日本に行くんだけど, 何を持っていたらいい?
➡️ if I use ね in usage no.4
⏩ 来週, 日本に行くね, 何を持っていたらいい?
How is the difference here 🤓
And then
Q2,
ね : express your opinion or making point (usage no. 1)
Vs
のです : to state your opinion clearly or bring up sth important (usage no. 6)
I’m sorry I cannot give any example in Q2. Both of them are used to express speaker’s opinion but how is nuance behind them 🤪
I hope Maggie 先生 can understand my poor decription and find the way to help me.
I’m very worried about wrong making sentence because wrong understand suffix
Q1:
来週, 日本に行くね, 何を持っていたらいい? doesn’t sound natural.
You have to finish a sentence with ね and can’t connect two sentence with ね.
While 行くんだけど gives a reason for the following question, if you ね doesn’t require any suggestions.
Q2. I think I get your question.
そんなことをされたら困りますね。
そんなことをされたら困るのです（困るんです）
They both make your point.
The difference is ね is to tell “someone” your opinion/feelings.
のです is to explain your situation/feelings.
Dear Maggie 先生 ❤
I really couldn’t find any word to send thanks to you 💌
私の頭がひらけるように感じています 😇
Thank you so much for your great help as always
❤❤❤❤❤🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷
どういたしまして、Sarang! 💕
Thank for the lesson. Is まあねえ the same as まあね ?
Also I usually see those phrases with little ぁ ぃ ぅ ぇ ぉ in manga.
Like まぁねぇ。
From what I can make out of https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q11119411721
I think まぁねぇ is also just a gap filler. But how do you pronounce まぁねぇ?
よろしくお願いします
＠petefinal
It depends on the intonation and I can’t attach a sound file here but
You usually say まぁねぇ when you reluctantly say your opinion/agree with the listener or put your thoughts together.
hi Maggie-sensei, thank you for all your lessons! I know this is an old thread but I’m hoping you’ll still see this message.
is it possible to use ですよね alone as a reply without attaching it to a statement?
for example:
a: 桜は素敵ですね
b: ですよね~
instead of
a: 桜は素敵ですね。
b: そうですよね/綺麗ですよね~
I’ve heard ですよね alone used as a reply before but I don’t hear it commonly so I’m wondering if it’s acceptable/natural! thank you ♡
@c
Hello!
Q: Is it possible to use ですよね alone as a reply without attaching it to a statement?
→Yes. It is conversational but pretty common.
The other casual contraction is でしょう。
Ex. A 桜がきれいですね。
B. でしょう？ Isn’t it?
Hi Maggie-sensei! Thanks for all the great lessons!
I have a quick off-topic question about one of the example sentences:
“Kinou, mata ano mise ni itte ne, oishii biiru wo nonde kita yo.”
What is the meaning or nuance of ~tekuru form (nonde kita) here? I went through the examples in the ~tekuru/iku lesson but couldn’t find something that matched.
I thought “nonde kita” -> “it became that I drank” or “I ended up drinking” maybe?
Sorry if it’s a silly question!
@Greg
Hi Greg!
It is a good question.
As I explained in my ~tekuru / te iku lesson,
• 買ってくる(=katte kuru) to buy something and bring it to the place where speaker is.
That kind of ~ tekuru is used when speaker goes to somewhere to do something and comes back to the place where they are.
But this “nonde kita” means “went out for a drink (and came back where the speaker is)”.
Also “~tekita” has a function to describe one’s experiences more vividly.
¥
So, if you say “biiru wo nonda”, you are just talking about the action
but if you say “biiru wo nonde kita! you are talking about your experience more vividly.
oh, that is a very good question, a doubt I didn’t even know I had too. Thanks for linking to the lesson as well, I will study it tomorrow!
Will you make lessons for other ending particles like wa, sa, i, zo, ze etc?
@kaheeh
It is on the request list already. :)
As for certain usage of “wa” and “yo” please go check female speech lesson.
OH! Thank you! I have always seen ね more like something instictive, but it is good to know exactly how it is used.
I have a question. In this sentence “昔はねえ、子供は外でもっと遊んでいたものなんだよ”, why do you use “もの”? Is it necessary or could have used the same sentence without the use of もの? I have seen other sentences like that, but I don’t really understand how もの is used in that case.
@reid
Hi reid,
もの has a lot of functions but when you look back on your past and remember habitual actions or events, you say
verb past tense + ものだ・です
Ex. 小さい頃は、よく父がこの店に連れてきてくれたものだ。
= When I was a child, my father used to take me to the store.
Ex. 若い頃は、家から歩いて街まで行ったものだ。
= When I was young, I used to walk to the town from my house.
Oh, it is simpler than I expected, thanks.
＠reid
You’re very welcome! :)
ありがとうございました。面白かったです。
@ocd
こんにちは、ocd! 早速、読んでくれてありがとう！
Wow so many uses of ね! Thank you very much! !heart3!
＠Sakotoki
Yes indeed.
And thank YOU for checking the lesson! ありがとう！
In the case 4, can’t you use よ? For example 着いたら、電話するよ。
Is it too rude?
Ahhh good question! I have to make another lesson on よ ( = yo) sometime.
(Oh wait.. I did explain in my female speech lesson lesson.)
I won’t go too far here but…
As I explained ね(=ne) expresses your will,
*よ ( =yo) is used when you tell some information that the listener doesn’t know or should know.
Ex. 電車は遅れているみたいですよ。
= Densha wa okurete iru mitai desuyo.
= I heard the train is late.
You use ね, when you want agreement from the listener.
Ex. 財布を落としましたよ。
= Saifu wo otoshimashitayo.
= You dropped your wallet.
X Since the listener doesn’t know the fact, you don’t use ね (=ne)
You use よ if the speaker’s action is related to the listener.
In that case you can change ね to よ.
Also ます・です+ よ is safe to use but if you use “verb plain form + よ” may sound either slightly blunt or for a male speech.
来年、日本に行きますよ。
→(nuance) You should know this information.
着いたら電話するよ
今日は私（僕）がおごるよ。
The actions, ‘calling/treating” related to the listener so you can use よ but in these two cases, よ sound a bit blunt. (male talk)
説明してくれて、ありがとう！
@Lollo
どういたしまして！
Is it the same when you make your point? For example, what’s the difference between私はそうは思いませんね and 私はそうは思いませんよ. Or, for example, if someone asks you コーヒーが好き？is it better to reply “あまり好きじゃないね” or “あまり好きじゃないよ” ?
よろしく！
@Lollo
Hello Lollo,
It depends on the intonation but the basic difference is if you involve the listener or not.
そうは思いませんね・あまり好きじゃないね。: You are just making your point/expressing your opinion.
そうは思いませんよ・あまり好きじゃないよ Telling the listener your opinion or feelings.
I am making a new lesson on the suffix よ. Will try to include the sentence to explain so please wait.
ありがとうございますLevo先生。
本当に役に立ったレッスンですね！
@教子
そう聞いてうれしいです！ !niconico!
Ex. [今日]は私 ( or 僕*)がおごるね。
= Kyou wa watashi (or boku) ga ogorune.
= It’s on me [tonight]—————————>today,It’s on me .
Ex. 「そこにあるお菓子もっていってね。」
= Soko ni aru okashi motte itte
[ne–missing].
@zoheb
Thank you zoheb!!! Fixed them. いつもありがとう！ boucingheart!