JLPT N4 Grammar – Distinguishing Sentence-Ending Particles

Table of Contents

1.  Distinguishing Sentence-Ending Particles
2. The Differences Between “ね,” “よね,” “よ,” and “の”
3. “ね” and “よ”
4. “ね” and “よね” ①
5. “ね” and “よね” ②
6. “よ” and “の”
7. Other Uses of “の”
8. Summary
9. Quiz
10. Similar Articles
11. Comment

Q: I don’t quite understand the differences between “よ,” “ね,” “の,” and “よね,” which appear at the end of sentences. Is “の” a question particle?

A: Each has its own unique meaning, so using them incorrectly can completely change the meaning of a sentence.

The Differences Between “ね,” “よね,” “よ,” and “の”

Let’s start by reviewing the roles of each in the table below.

	① Providing Information	② Seeking Confirmation or Agreement	③ Asking for Confirmation
ね	◯	◯
よ	◯
よね		◯
の	◯		◯

“ね” and “よ”:
Differentiating Their Use When Providing Information

“よ”, on the other hand, is used when the speaker assumes that the listener is not aware of the information and provides it as new. “よ” also serves to draw the listener’s attention to the information.

“ね” is used when the speaker assumes that the listener already knows or is aware of the information being shared.

“ね” and “よね”:
Differentiating Their Use When Seeking Agreement①

“ね” is often used when the speaker is almost certain that the listener agrees, while “よね” is used to confirm the listener’s agreement with a slightly more questioning tone.

“ね” and “よね” are used when the speaker expresses their opinion or thought and assumes that the listener shares the same perspective.

“ね” and “よね”:
Differentiating Their Use When Seeking Agreement②

“ね” and “よね” are also used when the speaker is uncertain about their knowledge or judgment. In such cases, they seek confirmation or agreement from the listener, who is perceived to have more accurate information or expertise.

“よね” indicates weaker confidence and a more tentative or reliant tone, suggesting a greater dependency on the listener’s input.

“ね” conveys a degree of confidence from the speaker and seeks shared understanding or confirmation.

[Examples]
会議かいぎは3時じからですね。
The meeting starts at 3 o’clock, doesn’t it?
⇒ The speaker has a certain level of confidence about the meeting time and is checking for shared understanding.

会議かいぎは3時じからですよね。
The meeting starts at 3 o’clock, right?
⇒ The speaker is less confident about the meeting time and is relying on the listener to confirm.

In this way, “ね” and “よね” differ in terms of the speaker’s level of certainty and their tone when seeking confirmation.

“よ” and “の”:
Differentiating Their Use When Providing Information

In affirmative sentences, “よ” and “の” carry subtle nuances:

“の” expresses the speaker’s sense of wonder or discovery, aiming to share their emotions with the listener. It is often used in close, familiar settings and typically appears with the plain form. However, using “のです” allows it to connect with polite expressions.

“よ” conveys a sense of recommendation or draws the listener’s attention to the information being shared.

Other Uses of “の”

The meaning of “の” can vary significantly depending on sentence-ending intonation and context. Below are some key usages:

①To Express Emotion or Discovery
Using “の” emphasizes the speaker’s excitement, amazement, or newfound realization.


[Examples]

この本ほん、すごく面白おもしろいの！（感動かんどうの共有きょうゆう）

This book is so interesting! (Sharing excitement)

このサプリ飲のんでみたんだけど、すごくいいの！（効果こうかに驚おどろいて伝つたえる）
I tried this supplement, and it’s amazing! (Expressing surprise at its effectiveness)


②To Seek Confirmation or Information
Raising the intonation at the end of a sentence (⤴) when using “の” conveys the speaker’s intent to seek information or confirmation from the listener. This usage is similar to the role of “んですか”.


[Examples]

そのサプリ、いいの？（⤴）

Is that supplement good?

どこに行いくの？（⤴）
Where are you going?

③When emphasizing emotions or excitement
When the speaker feels anger or strong emotions, using “の” strongly conveys those feelings. In this case, the intonation is either flat or emphasized.


[Examples]

A: ねえ、この問題もんだいわかる？

B: わからない。

A: え、聞きこえなかった。わかるの？（怒いかりを抑おさえた確認かくにん）

B: わからないって言いってるの！！（怒いかりの感情かんじょうを強調きょうちょう）
A: Hey, do you understand this question?
B: No, I don’t.
A: Huh? I didn’t hear you. Do you understand it? (calm but firm confirmation)
B: I said I don’t!! (emphasizing frustration or anger)

Summary

• “ね” is used when the speaker assumes the listener already knows the information being shared, while “よ” is used when the speaker assumes the listener does not know and wants to inform them. Additionally, “よ” can be used to draw the listener’s attention to new information.
• “ね” and “よね” are used in the following contexts:
  • When the speaker seeks agreement, assuming the listener shares the same opinion or thought.
  • When the speaker is uncertain about their knowledge or judgment and seeks confirmation or agreement from the listener. In this case, “よね” indicates less certainty than “ね.”
  • For affirmative sentences, “よ” includes a nuance of recommending or encouraging something to the listener, while “の” conveys the speaker’s emotion or discovery. “の” is only used with the plain form and does not connect with the polite form.
• The meaning of “の” changes based on intonation and context:
  • When stating something definitively: It expresses the speaker’s emotion or discovery.
  • When raising the intonation at the end: It seeks confirmation, information, or verification of a guess from the listener.
  • When spoken firmly (often with anger): It emphasizes the speaker’s strong emotions or excitement.

Quiz

Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.

Click on the question to check the answer.

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