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Grammar Book

GrammarBook N5: かな (The Floating Question Mark)

  • 01 Feb, 2026
  • Com 0
N5-G-054

かな (I wonder)

Supporting / Uncertainty

👀 Layer A: Visual Guide (直感理解)

📝 Quick Summary (まとめ)

「~かなあ」と独り言を言うときや、確信が持てないことについて「~だろうか?」と考えるときに使います。カジュアルな話し言葉です。
Use “Kana” at the end of a sentence to express “I wonder…” or uncertainty. It is often used for self-talk or asking casual questions without demanding a definitive answer.

Structure: [Plain Form] + かな。
(Taberu kana? / Oishii kana? / Genki kana?)

🔗 Connected Grammar (関連文法):

  • N5-G-053: よ / ね (Sentence Endings)
  • N5-G-055: でしょう (Probably / Politer “Kana”)

🔍 Layer B: Deepening (深掘り)

💡 Raya’s Hack (攻略法)

「か」+「な」= 疑問 + 感情
「か」は質問(Question)。「な」は詠嘆(Emotion/Feeling)。
つまり「質問」に「自分の気持ち」を乗せているのが「かな」です。
相手に答えを求めるというより、「自分はこう思うんだけど、どうかな?」というソフトなニュアンスになります。

“Ka” is a question marker. “Na” is an emotional particle. Together, “Kana” softens the question into a thought or feeling. It’s less demanding than a direct “Ka”.

🚧 Joy’s Mistake (よくある間違い)

Scene: Joy asks his teacher a question.

Joy: 「先生、明日は テスト かな?」
(Sensei, ashita wa tesuto kana?)

❌ Too casual for Teacher!

Why?

「かな」は友達言葉(タメ口)の仲間です。目上の人に使うと、独り言を言っているようで失礼になります。
先生には「明日はテストですか?」や「テストでしょうか?」を使いましょう。

“Kana” is casual language. Using it with a teacher sounds like you are mumbling to yourself or being disrespectful. Use standard “Desu ka” or “Deshou ka” with superiors.

🔥 Layer C: Practice Loop

Now it’s time to test your learning through the next 10 practice drills!

Level 1: I wonder…

Q1. Will it rain tomorrow? (Ashita, Ame, Kana)
答え: 明日は 雨 かな? (Ashita wa ame kana?)

(Noun + kana)

Q2. Is it delicious? (Oishii, Kana)
答え: 美味しい かな? (Oishii kana?)

(i-adj + kana)

Q3. Where is it? (Doko, Kana)
答え: どこ かな? (Doko kana?)

(Question word + kana)

Q4. Will he go? (Iku, Kana)
答え: 行く かな? (Iku kana?)

(Verb Dictionary + kana)

Q5. Is he well/healthy? (Genki, Kana)
答え: 元気 かな? (Genki kana?)

(Na-adj stem + kana)

Level 2: Common Phrases

Q6. “Is it okay?” (Checking permission softly) (Ii, Kana)
答え: いい かな? (Ii kana?)

(Softer than “Ii?”)

Q7. “I wonder what time it is.” (Nanji)
答え: 何時 かな? (Nanji kana?)

(Self-questioning)

Q8. “I wonder who it is.” (Dare)
答え: 誰 かな? (Dare kana?)

(When the doorbell rings)

Q9. “I wonder why?” (Nande)
答え: 何で かな? (Nande kana?)

(Pondering a reason)

Q10. “Is that true, I wonder?” (Hontou)
答え: 本当 かな? (Hontou kana?)

(Skepticism)


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Related posts:

GrammarBook N5 : AはBです (A is B) GrammarBook N5: The Particle も (also) GrammarBook N5: い-adjectives GrammarBook N5: ~たいです
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GrammarBook N5: よ / ね (Sentence ending particles)
GrammarBook N5: でしょう

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