How to use 〜げ ( = ge)

「DLPT （犬語能力試験）1級 合格したよ。」

= DLPT (Inugo nouryoku shiken) ikkyuu goukaku shitayo.

= Hey, I passed DLPT (Dog Language Proficiency Test) Level 1.

「なんか、得意げだね。」

= Nanka, tokuige dane.

= You look so proud.

 

Hi everyone! I’m Cookie.

I am in charge of the first lesson of the year. 

First of all, I have a big announcement to make.

I passed DLPT (Dog Language Proficiency Test 🐶) N1! It is more difficult than JLPT test. I bet none of you could pass it. No offense.

OK, today I will teach you the usage of ~ げ ( = ge)

A lot of time you see it in hiragana but the kanji for げ ( = ge) is 気 which means “atmosphere/feelings, etc.” 

* How to form:

★adjective + げ ( = ge)

* i-adjective

Delete い ( = i) and add げ ( = ge)

Ex. 楽しい = たのしい= tanoshii = fun

→楽し = たのし ( = tanoshi) + げ ( = ge)

→楽しげ = たのしげ = tanoshige 

Note: 

いい ( = ii) ／よい ( = yoi)

→(irregular)  よさげ ( = yosage) 

* na-adjective

Delete な ( = na)  and add げ ( = ge)

Ex. 不安な  = ふあんな = fuanna = uneasy, anxious 

→不安 = ふあん ( = fuan) + げ ( = ge)

→不安げ = ふあんげ = fuange

★verb  + げ ( = ge)

masu-stem + げ ( = ge)

Ex. ある ( = aru) = there is/are, to have

→masu formあります = arimasu 

→(masu stem) あり ( = ari)  + げ ( = ge)

→ありげ ( = arige)

Note: 

ない ( = nai) →(irregular) なさげ ( = nasage) 

Vたい ( = tai)  = want to do ~ 

→delete い ( = i) and add + げ ( = ge)

Ex. 言う= いう = iu = to say

→言いたい = いいたい = iitai = want to say

→言いた = いいた = iita + げ ( = ge)

→言いたげ = いいたげ = iitage

★noun +  げ ( = ge)

Ex. 大人 = おとな( = otona ) + げ ( = ge)

→ 大人げ= おとなげ  ( = otonage) 

**

1)  ~ げ ( = ge)  + だ( = da) / です ( = desu) /  (past tense) だった ( = datta) / でした ( = deshita) =  Someone/ Something looks ~ 

Ex. 彼女は寂しげだった。

= Kanojo wa samishige/sabishige/ datta.

= She looked lonely.

2) ~ げな ( = gena) + noun = something which looks ~ / someone who looks ~ 

Ex. 寂しげな顔

= Samishigena/ sabishigena kao

= lonely/sad face

3) ~ げに ( = geni ) + verb = to do something ~ ly  

Ex. 彼女は寂しげにドアの外に立っていた。

= Kanojo wa samishige ni / sabishige ni doa no sotoni tatte ita.

= She looked lonely standing at the door.

4) ~ げ ( noun form)  ( +  が ( = ga) ) + ある ( = aru) / ない ( = nai)

Ex. 大人げない。

= otonage ga nai.

= Not mature.

****

How to use:

～げ（ = ge): You use it to describe someone (*not yourself)  who looks ~ / seems ~ / has the appearance of ~ / sounds ~ 

It is similar to ～そう ( = sou) but compared to ～そう ( = sou) , ～げ（ = ge) has more restrictions and you can’t use it with all the adjectives / verbs / nouns.

While you use ～そう ( = sou) for things, weather, climate, events, atmosphere, etc, you usually use ～げ ( = ge) to describe someone’s emotion, feelings or state. *

Note: You sometimes use げ ( = ge) to describe the atmosphere or state.

For example, when it looks cold outside, you say 

寒そう

= さむそう

= samusou

but not

X 寒げ

= samuge 

I will teach you the typical expressions with ～げ（ = ge).

****

With adjectives:

* 楽しい = たのしい = tanoshii = fun

→ 楽しげ = tanoshige 

Ex. 子供達は楽しげに*雪の中を走り回っていた。

= Kodomotachi wa tanoshige ni yuki no naka wo hashirimawatte ita.

= It looked like children enjoyed running around the snow. 

(*楽しそうに = tanoshisou ni)

* 嬉しい = うれしい= ureshii = happy, pleased 

→嬉しげ = ureshige

Ex. 彼女にかわいいねって言ったら嬉しげに*笑っていた。

= Kanojo ni kawaiine tte ittara ureshige ni waratte ita.

= When I told her she was cute, she looked pleased and laughed.

(*嬉しそうに= ureshisou ni) 

 

* 恥ずかしい = はずかしい = hazukashii = embarrassing, being shy 

→恥ずかしげ = hazukashige 

Ex. その子は恥ずかしげに*私の方をちらちら見ていた。

= Sono ko wa hazukashige ni watashi no hou wo chirachira mite ita.

= The kid was peeking at me bashfully. 

(*恥ずかしそうに= hazukashisou ni) 

* 恥ずかしげもなく = hazukashige mo naku = shameless 

Ex. 恥ずかしげもなくよくそんなことが言えるね。

＝ Hazukashige mo naku yoku sonna koto ga ieru ne.

= Shame on you!  How dare you to say such a thing.

* 悲しい = かなしい= kanashii = sad

→悲しげ = kanashige

Ex. 彼女の悲しげな*顔を見たら何も言えなかった。

= Kanojo no kanashigena kao wo mitara nanimo ienakatta.

= Once I saw her sad face, I couldn’t say anything. 

(*悲しそうな = kanashisouna) 

* 不安な = ふあんな = fuanna = worried/nervous

→不安げ = fuange = looks worried/ nervous

* 心配な = しんぱいな = shinpaina = worried 

→ 心配げ = shinpaige 

Ex. 一人で海外に行くと言ったら母は心配げ*だった。

= Hitori de kaigai ni iku to ittara haha wa shinpaige datta.

= When I told my mother that I would go abroad by myself, she looked worried.

(*心配そう = shinpaisou)

* 涼しい = すずしい = suzushii = cool

→涼しげ = suzushige = looks cool

You can also use it for things / faces

Ex. 彼は涼しげな顔をして嘘をつく。

= Kare wa suzushigena kao wo shite uso wo tsuku.

= He lies with straight face.

Ex. 涼しげな*スカートだね。どこで買ったの？

= Suzushigena sukaato dane. Doko de katta no?

= That skirts looks cool and airy. Where did you buy it? 

(* 涼しそうな = suzushisouna) 

*危ない = あぶない = abunai = dangerous/not secure

→危なげ = abunage 

Ex. 妹の車に乗せてもらったが危なげな運転でひやひやした。

= Imouto no kuruma ni nosete moratta ga abunagena unten de hiyahiya shita.

= My little sister gave me a ride but her dangerous/bad driving made me nervous.

*羨ましい = うらやましい = urayamashii = envious, jealous

→羨ましげ = urayamashige

Ex. 明日から北海道に行くと言ったらみんな羨ましげな顔をしていた。

= Ashita kara Hokkaidou ni iku to ittara minna urayamashigena kao wo shite ita.

= Everybody looked jealous when I told them that I would go to Hokkaido tomorrow.

* 怪しい=あやしい = ayashii = suspicious, fishy, dubious

→怪しげ = ayashige 

Ex. 友達に怪しげな店に連れて行かれた。

=Tomodachi ni ayashigena mise ni tsurete ikareta.

= My friend took me a sketchy store.

* 懐かしい=なつかしい = natsukashii = brings back memories/nostalgic 

→懐かしげ = natsukashige

Ex. 父は昔の写真を懐かしげに*見ていた。

= Chichi wa mukashi no shashin wo natsukashige ni mite ita.

= My father was looking at the pictures wistfully. 

(*懐かしそうに= natsukashisouni) 

* 苦しい =くるしい = kurushii = suffering, painful 

→苦しげ = kurushige

Ex. 彼は苦しげな言い訳をした。

= Kare wa kurushige na iiwake wo shita

= He made a poor excuse. 

*儚い = はかない = hakanai = ephemeral, short-lived, vain

→儚げ  = hakanage

Ex. 今は、儚げな女子がモテるんだって。(casual) 

= Ima wa, hakanagena joshi ga moterun datte.

= I heard vulnerable girls has been more attractive lately.

*眠たい = ねむたい = nemutai = sleepy

→眠たげ= nemutage 

Ex. 彼は眠たげ*な声でおはようと言った。

= Kare wa nemutagena koe de ohayou to itta.

= He said good morning with a sleepy voice.

(*眠たそう= ねむたそう= nemutasou)

* いい／よい ( = ii/ yoi) good, nice

→よさげ = yosage 

Ex. マギーは性格がよさげな犬だね。

= Maggie wa seikaku ga yosage na inu dane.

= It seems like Maggie is a good natured dog.

* 得意な=とくいな = tokuina = proud, good at

→得意げ = tokuige 

 :ii: From the picture above:

得意げだね

= Tokuige dane.

= You look so proud. 

You can also say: 

  自慢げ=  jimange = proudly, boastfully

Ex. 兄は新しい車を自慢げに見せた。

= Ani wa atarashii kuruma wo jimange ni miseta.

= My big brother showed off his new car.

*満足な = まんぞくな = satisfactory, happy, content

→満足げ = manzokuge 

Ex. お客さんは料理にもサービスにも満足げ*だった。

= Okyakusan wa ryouri nimo saabisu nimo manzokuge datta.

= The customers looked very happy with the food and also the service.

( *満足そう = manzokusou)

opposite:

 不満げ =  fumange

Ex. 冬休にどこにも連れていかなかったので子供達は不満げ*な様子だった。

= Fuyuyasumi ni dokoni mo tsurete ikanakatta node kodomotachi wa fumangena yousu datta.

= Our children looked unhappy because we didn’t take them anywhere during the winter vacation.

(* 不満そうだった = fumansou datta.) 

****

With verbs/nouns: Compared to adjectives, it is much more limited to use げ ( = ge) with verbs and nous.

★ Verb + げ ( = ge) 

* ある = aru = there is/are, to have, to exist 

→ありげ = arige 

Ex. 彼女から意味ありげな短いメッセージが来た。

= Kanojo kara imi arigena mijikai messeiji ga kita.

= I got a short message from her that seems to be implying something. 

Ex. 「きっと私のこと好きにしてみせる！」

= Kitto watashi no koto suki ni shite miseru!

= I’ll make him like me for sure.

「随分、自信ありげだね。」

= Zuibun, jishin arige dane.

= You look very confident. 

* ない = nai = there isn’t/aren’t / not exist, not to have, 

→なさげ = nasage

Ex. 彼を映画に誘ったけど、なんか興味なさげ*だった。(casual)

= Kare wo eiga ni sasotta kedo, nanka kyoumi nasage datta.

= I asked him out to go see a movie but he didn’t show any interest.

(*興味なさそう= kyoumi nasasou) 

Ex. あの店長、頼りなさげ*だけど大丈夫かなあ。(casual)

= Ano tenchou, tayori nasage dakedo daijyoubu?

= The shop manager looks undependable. I wonder if he’s OK?

(*頼りなさそう = tayorinasasou) 

* Vたい ( = tai)

Verb masu stem + たげ ( = tage) 

*言いたい = いいたい = iitai = to want to say 

→言いたげ = iitage 

Ex. 彼は黙って帰ったがなにか言いたげ*だった。

= Kare wa damatte kaettaga nanika iitage datta.

= He left without saying anything but it seemed like he wanted to say something.

(*言いたそう = iitasou) 

Special expressions:

* 物欲しげ = mono hoshige = greedy, to look as if you want something

I said you don’t use ～げ ( = ge) for yourself but you can use it to describe yourself.

Ex.  試食コーナーを物欲しげ*な顔をして見ていたら唐揚げ一つもらっちゃった。 (casual)

= Shishoku koonaa wo monohoshigena kao wo shite mite itara karaage hitotsu moracchatta.

= I was in the sample food section with hungry looking face and got a sample fried chicken. 

(*物欲しそう = monohoshisou)

★ Noun + げ ( = ge) 

* 大人げない（大人気ない） = otonagenai = immature

Ex. 上司に大人気ない態度をとってしまった。

= Joushi ni otonagenai taido wo totte shimatta.

= I took an immature attitude with my boss.

***

マギー先生より = Maggie Sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei

私はNLPT（猫語能力試験　🐱）の5級を３回も落ちてあきらめました。

= Watashi wa NLPT (Nekogo nouryoku shiken) no gokyuu wo sankai mo ochite akiramemashita.

= I failed NLPT (Cat Language Proficiency Test) Level 5  three times and gave up.

 *****

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