4.6 The Sentence-Ending Particles ね (ne) and よ (yo)
In this module, we will explore the nuances of the Japanese particles ね (ne) and よ (yo), adding a touch of friendliness or assertiveness to your conversations.
Introduction to ね and よ
The particles ね (ne) and よ (yo) are commonly used at the end of a sentence to convey certain nuances in conversations.
While both are used as sentence-ending particles in Japanese, they serve different purposes:
- ね is used to seek agreement or confirmation, adding a friendly and engaging tone to the conversation, especially when shared knowledge or understanding is implied.
- よ is employed to introduce new information, emphasising what the speaker wants to convey as potentially unknown to the listener.
Now, let’s take a closer look at how these sentence-ending particles are used in sentences via this short video created by Learn Japanese with Puni Puni Japan:
Usage in sentences
So to recap, ね is used to seek agreement or confirmation, or to invite the listener’s attention. It is often used to soften a statement or to make it sound more friendly and inclusive. Here are a few examples:
今日（きょう）はいい*天気（てんき）ですね。
Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne.
It’s a nice weather today, isn’t it?
*天気: weather
今日は*暑（あつ）いですね。
Kyou wa atsui desu ne.
It’s hot today, isn’t it?
*暑い: hot
In contrast, よ is used to emphasise or assert information, or to provide new information. It adds a sense of confidence and assertiveness to a statement.
When pronounced with emphasis, it can give a strong command or suggestion, depending on the intonation, like an exclamation mark. So, using a soft intonation with a slight smile is the key to maintaining a friendly and approachable tone. Here are a few examples:
日本（にほん）の*首都（しゅと）は東京（とうきょう）ですよ。
Nihon no shuto wa Toukyou desu yo.
The capital of Japan is Tokyo, you know.
*首都: capital
*明日（あした）はテストですよ。
Ashita wa tesuto desu yo.
We have a test tomorrow, you know.
*明日: tomorrow
Exercise 1
Figures – Exercise
1 “Winter Tree Branches” (untitled) by Jordan Benton. Pexels. Licensed under Pexels licence.
2 “Winter Sunlight in Hokkaido” (untitled) by Chelsea TEY. Pexels. Licensed under Pexels licence.
3 “Heath” (untitled) by Evgeny Tchebotarev. Pexels. Licensed under Pexels licence.
4 “Walking a Dog” (untitled) by Chilmars. Pexels. Licensed under Pexels licence.
References
Learn Japanese with Puni Puni Japan. “Japanese Grammar—Japanese Particles yo (よ) and ne (ね).” YouTube video, 2:33. January 10, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxLBNw0AILI.
