語尾 II: な, と, さ, ぞ, ぜ, & え
語尾, as we have learned, are interjectory particles that show all sorts of emotions.
The Final Particle な
1. な is for the most part the masculine version of ね. However, females have begun to use it as well, particularly those that are seen as being stronger than the average woman. This should not be used in polite situations.
1. 俺な、今度な、勝つんだ。
I, uh, this time, will win.
2. あのな、こっちではな、酒はいけないんだ。(説教的な言い方)
Um, you mustn’t drink sake here, you know.
3. 懐かしいなあ。
How nostalgic.
4. いやだな。
What a pain!
5. 君が来ないと、つまらないなあ。
If you don’t come, it’ll be boring.
6. 誰か来たな。
Someone came, didn’t they?
7. 罪人はお前だな。
The sinner is you, isn’t it!
2. Placed after the 終止形 (the end form) of a verb to show a strong negative command.
8. そんなことをするな。
Don’t do such a thing!
9. 行くな！
Don’t go!
10. すんな！
Don’t do it!
Contraction Note: ～るな is often contracted to ～んな. Even if a verb doesn’t end in the sound, ん is often inserted before な. So, things 話すんな are becoming more common. Again, don’t use these contractions in polite situations.
3. Used as a contraction of ～なさい,. Don’t confuse this with Usage 2!
11. 行きな！
Go!
12. やってみな！
Try it!
13. ちょっとこっちに来な。
Come here for a moment.
The Final Particle と
There are three very different usages of the final particle と.
- In a question with a high intonation, it presents a demanding question. This is used in casual or vulgar speech.
- In っと it is used to declare something with a light tone. It is used in plain speech.
- とさ is used with polite endings in story-telling.
14. 何だと!？（Vulgar/casual）
WHAT!?
15. いやだと？
You say no!?
16. 知らねーっと。（Vulgar; slang）
I dunno know.
17. 二人で幸せに暮らしましたとさ。
And they lived happily ever after.
18. やめたいだと？
You want to quit!?
Grammar Note: だと is allowed here because it is acting as a final particle.
The Final Particle さ
さ is a signature feature of Tokyo speech and is the Japanese equivalent to the overuse of “like” in English. Don’t use this in polite speech. This is very casual, and the usage is rather random based on region and age. The people most likely to use it are young people in and around the capital area （首都圏）.
19. 東京は本当にきれいさ。
Tokyo is like really pretty.
20. 明日はさ、土曜だからさ、休みなんだ。
Tomorrow is, um, cause it’s Saturday, we’re going to be on break.
21. 何さ、あんなやつめ！
What the, that guy!
Grammar Note: さ is typically not placed after だ in Tokyo Dialect, but this is not always the case depending on the dialect.
The Particle ぞ
ぞ is very casual and at times harsh. ぞ, which is associated with masculine speech, creates a casual yet strong assertive emphasis. It may also be used to make a rhetorical question. Its role as being strongly masculine is in decline, but it is still used frequently, just not with as much of the gender baggage. You should not use this in polite speech.
22. 何か変だぞ。
Something’s strange.
23. 今しないと、失敗するぞ。
If you don’t do it now, you’ll fail!
24. とにかく家へ帰るぞ。
Anyway, I’m going home.
25. 勉強しなかったから、テストに合格しなかったんだぞ。
It’s because you didn’t study that you didn’t pass your test!
26a. あれは何者ぞ。 (Very old-fashioned)
26b. あいつは何者だ？ (More natural)
Who is that?
Phrasing Note: Using ぞ in making a rhetorical question is rather archaic.
The Final Particle ぜ
ぜ forcefully pushes an idea. Due to this, it is only appropriate in casual conversation and should never be used with your superiors (in a typical situation). Only if you and your superior(s) are drunk should you ever use it; that is unless you’re quitting.
ぜ has historically been extremely masculine, but it is now not completely out of the norm for female speakers to use it among themselves. This, though, may make them look unfeminine. Strong female bodybuilders can use ぜ just like a rough playing boy child in a schoolyard.
It is because of these reasons why experience in hearing them used is the best way to truly know the full realm of their usage.
27. 雪だぜ。
It’s snow!
28. 行くぜ！
Let’s go!
Origin Note: ぜ is the contraction of ぞえ.
The Final Particle え
Although no longer common, え is used to either to call for someone or push an idea for questioning something. It’s often in the pattern ぞえ. You might hear something with this in it in some old-fashioned drama.
29. 行くぞえ。
Let’s go!
30. お上さんえ (Old-fashioned)
Missus!
Spelling Note: ぞえ and ぞぇ are both common spellings, and the pattern is still common among many speakers. It’s just that using the particle in any other situation is very uncommon.