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㊦ か(どうか) ←

→ ㊦ かもしれない


㊦ かい

Particle


A sentence final particle which marks yes-no questions in informal male speech.
【Related Expression: だい (か2)】

Key Sentences

(ksa). 日本語は面白いかい

Is Japanese interesting?

(ksb). 上野さんはアメリカへ行くのかい

Is Mr. Ueno going to America?


Formation

(i){V/Adjective い informal} かい  
  {話す /話した}かい Does (or will)/Did someone talk?
  {高い /高かった}かい Is/was something expensive?
(ii){Adjective な stem/ N} {Øだった}かい  
  {静か /静かだった}かい Is/was something quiet?
  {先生 /先生だった}かい Is/was someone a teacher?
(iii){V/Adjective い} informal のかい  
  {話す /話した}のかい Does (or will)/Did someone talk?
  {高い /高かった}のかい Is/was something expensive?
(iv){Adjective な stem/ Noun} {だった}のかい  
  {静か/静かだった}のかい Is/was something quiet?
  {先生/先生だった}のかい Is/was someone a teacher?

Examples

(a). 日本語を勉強するかい

Will you study Japanese?

(b). このアパートは静かかい

Is this apartment quiet?

(c). 君達は学生かい

Are you students?

(d). その本は難しいのかい

Is the book difficult?

(e). あの人は先生なのかい

Is that person a teacher?


Notes

1. Since かい is used in informal speech, preceding sentences must be in the informal form. The following sentences are unacceptable.

2. かい is used only for yes-no questions. Thus, the following sentences are ungrammatical.

In these sentences, だい is used. (⇨ だい)

3. Questions in the Key Sentence (A) pattern and those in the Key Sentence (B) pattern correspond to questions without のです and those with のです in formal speech, respectively.

(⇨ のだ)

4. Questions in female informal speech can be formed by dropping かい in male informal questions and using rising intonation. Examples:

For a summary of the endings for informal questions, see だい, Related Expression.


㊦ か(どうか) ←

→ ㊦ かもしれない