How to use the suffix 〜な ( = na) / ~ なあ ( = naa)

「カメラ近いなあ…」

= Kamera chikai naa…

= The camera is too close, you know.

Hi everyone! I am Max! I am Maggie’s best friend and I will be your guest teacher today for the first time in a long time.
I know I am cute, but the camera is a bit too close. Don’t you think?

Maggie told me that you studied the suffixes よ ( =  yo) and ね ( = ne).
Today we will learn another casual suffix, な ( = na).
Since it is for casual speech, you should only use it with family or friends, OK?

★How to form:

* adjective + な ( = na) ／なあ ( = naa)

☆ i-adjective + な ( = na) ／なあ ( = naa)

Ex. おいしいな  ( = oishii na) ／なあ ( = naa) おいしいなあ  ( = oishii naa)

☆na-adjective ～だ  ( = da) + な  ( = na) ／なあ ( = naa)

Ex. 元気だな ( = genki dana)／元気だなあ ( =genki danaa)

★How to use:

Some of the usage of な ( = na) is for male speech. So I will mark neutral (both women and men use) or male speech.

1) When you express your opinion or feeling. (Both women and men use).

In this usage, we tend to stretch the sound

なあ ( = naa)/ (more colloquial way to write) な～ ( = naa)

You use the suffix ね  ( = ne) when you ask for agreement from a listener.

Ex. これ、おいしいね。

= Kore, oishii ne.

= This is delicious, isn’t it?

You use the suffix なあ ( = naa) when you express what you feel or think. Sometimes you are just talking to yourself so it doesn’t matter whether you have a listener or not.

Ex. これ、おいしいなあ。

= Kore, oishii naa.

= This is delicious.

Ex. 寒くなってきたなあ。

= Samuku natte kita naa.

= Ah…It is getting colder.

Ex. このバッグ、欲しいな～。

= Kono baggu, hoshii naa.

= I’d love to have this bag.  / I really want this bag.

Ex. マギー先生は、厳しいなあ。

= Maggie sensei wa, kibishii naa.

= Maggie Sensei is strict.

Ex. 困ったなあ。 定期券を家に忘れてきたみたい。

= Komatta naa. Teikiken wo ie ni wasurete kita mitai.

= I am in trouble. (I don’t know what to do.) I think I left my commuter pass at home.

Ex. 変だなあ。誰も家にいない。

= Henda naa. Dare mo ie ni inai.

= How strange… Nobody is home.

Sometimes you say that to someone to show your emotion.

Ex. これ、３万円もするの？高いなあ。

= Kore, sanman en mo suru no?  Takai naa.

= This costs 30,000 yen?? How expensive!

Ex. ロバートはすごいなあ。もうそんな難しい漢字が読めるの？

= Robaato wa sugoi naa. Mou sonna muzukashii kanji ga yomeru no?

= You are great, Robert. You can read that difficult kanji already?

2) When you are not certain about something.:  I wonder…

Ex. マギーが美味しいって言っていたジャーキーこれかなあ？

= Maggie ga oishii tte itte ita jaakii kore ka naa?

= I wonder if this dog treat (literally: jerky) is the one Maggie said was delicious.

Ex. 駅はどこかな。/ どこかなあ。

= Eki wa doko kana./ doko kanaa.

= I wonder where the station is.

Ex. 明日は晴れるかなあ。/ 晴れるかなあ。

= Ashita wa hareru kana./ hareru kanaa.

= I wonder if it will be nice (weather) tomorrow.

Ex.ちょっと塩辛いかな/ 塩辛いかなあ。

= Chotto shiokarai kana./ shiokarai kanaa.

= I wonder if it is a bit salty.

Ex. それは本当かな/ 本当かなあ。

= Sore wa hontou kana./ hontou ka naa.

= I wonder if it is true.

Ex. 「彼は真面目だから絶対に浮気をしないね。」

= Kare wa majime dakara zettai ni uwaki wo shinai ne.

= He is serious, so I bet he won’t cheat on you.

「それはどうかな。/どうかなあ」

= Sore wa dou kana/ dou kanaa.

= Hmm I don’t know about that.

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⭐️ Male speech

な  ( = na) suffix is generally considered to be “male speech”.

Male speech is rough so you have to be careful who you use with.

From the example above,

Ex. これ、おいしいな。

= Kore, oishii na.

= This is delicious.

The speaker is talking to themselves. In this case, both men and women use.
However, if you use な ( = na) suffix when you are talking to someone asking for their agreement or confirmation (just like ~ ね ( = ne) suffix), it is for male speech.

Ex. これおいしいな。(male speech)

= Kore oishii na.

= This is delicious, isn’t it?

(これおいしいね。( = Kore oishiine. ) is used by both men and women.)

★ How to form:

* i-adjective + な ( = na) / よな ( = yona)

* na-adjecitve ~ だ ( = da) な ( = na) / よな ( = yona)

* verb  + な ( = na)  / よな ( = yona)

* noun + な ( = na)  / よな ( = yona)

* noun + だな ( = dana)  / だよな ( = dayona)

You sometimes add よ ( = yo) before な ( = na) when you ask for agreement from the listener.

* Asking for agreement from the listener.

To confirm something. (A speaker is sharing the feelings with the listener.)

This usage is the same as ね ( = ne) which is more feminine or neutral.

Ex. 昔はよくそのゲームを一緒にやったな。/ やったよな。(male speech)

= Mukashi wa yoku sono geimu wo issho ni yatta na. / yatta yona.

= We used to play that game, huh?

Ex. 田中もやるな。/  やるよな。(male speech)

= Tanaka mo yaruna. / yaru yona.

= Tanaka is something, huh?

Ex. あの子、かわいいな。/ かわいいよな。(male speech)

= Anoko, kawaii na. / kawaii yona.

= Don’t you think she is cute?/ She is cute, isn’t she?

Ex. それはひどいな。/ ひどいよな。(male speech)

= Sore wa hidoi na. / hidoi yona.

= That’s horrible, isn’t it?

Note: ~よな ( = yona) is almost always for male speech.

But women say それはひどいな ( = sore wa hidoina) when they express their feelings without asking for agreement from the listener.)

Ex.  「高校の時、眼鏡かけていた田中って覚えてる？」(male speech)

= Koukou no toki, megane kakete ita Tanakatte oboeteru?

= Do you remember the Tanaka guy, the guy who wore glasses?

「ああ、そういう奴、いたな。/ いたよな。」(male speech)

= Aa, souiu yatsu, ita na/ ita yona.

= Ah, there was that kind of guy.

Ex. 最近、仕事が増えたな。／増えたよな。(male speech)

= Saikin, shigoto ga fueta na. / fueta yona.

= We have more work now, don’t we?

Ex. 東京に行くの、明日だな。/ 明日だよな。(male speech)

= Toukyou ni ikuno, ashita da na/ ashita  da yona.

= We are going to Tokyo tomorrow, right?

*When you tell someone what you are going to do.

Ex. 家に帰ったらメールするな。(male speech)

= Ie ni kaettara meiru suru na.

= I will  text you when I get home, OK?

Ex. 「あの件どうなった？」

= Ano ken dounatta?

= What happened to the matter?

「ああ、車の件な。大丈夫。手配しておいたから。」(male speech)

= Aa, kuruma no ken na. Daijoubu. Tehai shite oita kara.

= Ah, about the car. Don’t worry. I have arranged it already.

Ex. もう行くな。

= Mou ikuna.

= I am off, OK?

*When you give your opinion to someone.

Ex. 今日は、よく勉強したな。 (male speech)

=  Kyou wa, yoku benkyou shita na.

= You studied a lot today. (Good job!)

Ex. そのドレス、似合うな。 (male speech)

= Sono doresu, niau na.

= (I think) You look good in that dress.

Note: If you are talking to yourself, both men and women this usage of  な ( = na)

Ex. 彼女は何を着ても似合うなあ。

= Kanojo wa nani wo kite mo niau naa.

= She looks good in any outfit.

Ex. 今日は、よく勉強したなあ。

= Kyou wa, yoku benkyou shita naa.

= I think I studied hard today.

*When you want to prohibit someone from doing something.strong negative command

★How to form:

*verb plain form + な ( = na)

Ex. する ( = suru)  to do + な ( = na)

するな ( = suruna)  Don’t do something.

Ex. そんなことするな。(male speech/ rough/ strong)

= Sonna koto suruna.

= Don’t do such a thing.

Ex. このことは誰にも言うな。(male speech/ rough/ strong)

= Kono koto wa dareni mo iu na.

= Don’t tell anybody about this.

Ex. おしゃべりするな。(male speech/ rough/ strong)

= Oshaberi suru na.

= Stop talking.

Ex. まだ行くな。(male speech/ rough/ strong)

= Mada iku na.

= Don’t go yet.

Ex. もう彼とは会うなと言われても会うからね。(Women uses it in a quote form)

= Mou kare to wa auna to iwarete mo au kara ne.

= Even if you tell me not to see him anymore, I will see him anyway, OK?

It is a rough male speech but you may also see it as a warning sign.

Ex. ここに入るな。(male speech/ rough/ strong)

= Koko ni hairu na.

= Don’t enter here.

★です  (= desu) /  ます ( = masu) + な ( = na)

I said the male usage of  な ( = na)  is rough but there is a form that is attached to です ( = desu) / ます ( = masu)

When you are talking to someone asking for an agreement.

Ex. 会社の外で会うなんて珍しいですね。(both men and women use)

= Kaisha no soto de au nante mezurashii desune.

= It is unusual to see each other outside of the company, isn’t it?

↓  Change ね (=ne) with な ( = na)

Ex. 会社の外で会うなんて珍しいですな。(male speech)

= Kaisha no soto de au nante mezurashii desuna.

Though it uses な ( = na), it is polite.  However, we tend to hear this from older men.

 

 

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

Max ありがとう！

= Max Arigatou!

元気だった？= Genki datta? = How have you been?

アップの顔もイケてるよ♥

= Appu no kao mo iketeru yo.

= Your close-up face is cool, you know.

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