Japanese with Manga

Wondering with

Grammar: Conjecture » かな

Sentence-final かな wonders aloud, turning a question inward, musing rather than demanding an answer.

Usage Notes

かな follows the plain form; nouns and な-adjectives take it directly, without だ. When aimed at a listener, it asks gently, without the pressure of a direct question: 行(い)けるかな？ “think you can make it?”.

かしら is a stereotyped feminine equivalent.

Formation

  1. Plain form ＋ かな
    • 明日(あした)、雨(あめ)降(ふ)るかな
    • "I wonder if it'll rain tomorrow."
  2. Noun / な-adjective ＋ かな
    • あの人(ひと)、先生(せんせい)かな
    • "Is that person a teacher, I wonder?"
  3. 〜ないかな (hoping)
    • 夏休(なつやす)み、早(はや)く来(こ)ないかな
    • "I wish summer break would hurry up and get here."
  4. 〜かしら (feminine)
    • 大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)かしら
    • "Will it be all right, I wonder?"
    • Note: かしら marks stereotyped feminine or refined speech in fiction.

Common Uses

Musing to Oneself

The interior monologue particle.

Manga panel from 俺物語!! showing example of Limited amusement park admission with 入場制限.
俺物語!! » Volume 4 » Page 50

Takeo and his friends board the train bound for the amusement park, MM Land.

凛子(りんこ):
「すっごい人(ひと)だね。みんなＭＭランド行(い)くのかな」
“There's a lot of people here. I wonder if everyone's going to MM Land.”
隼人(はやと):
「連休(れんきゅう)だから混(こ)むよねー」
“It's a long holiday, so it'll be crowded.”
愛(あい):
「入場(にゅうじょう)制限(せいげん)とかなんないといーけど」
“I hope they don't restrict admission or anything.”
View Full Example

A Soft Question

かな floats a question without demanding an answer.

Manga panel from 俺物語!! showing example of A schoolyard chicken coop with 小屋.
俺物語!! » Volume 4 » Page 165

After Takeo (Gouda) has helped her out multiple times, Saijou considers confessing her feelings to him. She waits for him near the shoe lockers before class.

西城(さいじょう):
「あのっ　今日(きょう)剛田(ごうだ)に話(はなし)があるんだ」
“Um... I need to talk to you today.”
「放課後(ほうかご)ニワトリ小屋(ごや)の前(まえ)に来(き)てくれるかな」
“Could you come to the chicken coop after school?”
View Full Example

Self-Doubt

Characters second-guess themselves in かな.

Hoping with ないかな

The negative plus かな wishes for something to happen.

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