The JLPT N4 grammar, かな (kana) is a handy Japanese grammar pattern that isn’t used much in formal work situations but comes in really useful in everyday life. It’s used when you want to show hesitation, doubt, or simply wonder about something. It basically means “I wonder” and is often used to:
- Think about doing something
- Wonder if something will happen
Learn its meaning, sentence structure, and see plenty of examples, each with Japanese text, romaji reading, and English translation!
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かな (Kana) Meaning
The Japanese particle かな originally evolved from a combination of two sentence-ending particles: か and な. Over time, it became a singular particle used at the end of a sentence to express wonder, hesitation, or reflection. It roughly translates to, “I wonder.”
Common uses of かな include:
- Wondering about the future
- Considering an action
- Expressing doubt or uncertainty:
- Softly expressing hope or desire:
- Making a soft suggestion or opinion:
- Thinking aloud to oneself (not necessarily asking others)
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JLPT N4 かな (Kana) Sentence Structure
In Japanese, you usually use 〜かな at the end of a sentence to express “I wonder…” or “I’m not sure if…”. Sometimes you combine かな with と思う to soften the statement.
| Type | Structure |
|---|---|
| Verb (plain form) | Verb + かな |
| い-Adjective | い-Adjective + かな |
| な-Adjective | な-Adjective + かな |
| Noun | Noun + かな |
This section will break down how to use 〜かな with different verb forms, including present, past, negative, past negative, and volitional.
| Form | Plain Form + かな | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 食べるかな | I wonder if I will eat / do I eat…? |
| Past | 食べたかな | I wonder if I ate… |
| Negative | 食べないかな | I wonder if I won’t eat… |
| Past Negative | 食べなかったかな | I wonder if I didn’t eat… |
| Volitional | 食べようかな | I wonder if I should eat… |
JLPT N4 かな (Kana) Example
Let us take a look at a few example sentences that use かな.
Example 1:
明日、雨が降るかな。
Ashita, ame ga furu kana.
I wonder if it will rain tomorrow.
Example 2:
これ、美味しいかな。
Kore, oishii kana.
I wonder if this is tasty.
Example 3:
今日は寒いかな。
Kyou wa samui kana.
I wonder if it’s cold today.
Example 4:
この映画、面白いかな。
Kono eiga, omoshiroi kana.
I wonder if this movie is interesting.
Example 5:
彼は来るかなと思う。
Kare wa kuru kana to omou.
I’m wondering if he will come.
Vocabulary List
Check out all the new words that appeared in the examples above, and learn vocabulary alongside today’s Japanese grammar!
| Kanji / Writing | Furigana | Romaji | English |
| 明日 | あした | ashita | tomorrow |
| 雨 | あめ | ame | rain |
| 降る | ふる | furu | to fall (rain/snow) |
| かな | かな | kana | I wonder / I’m not sure |
| これ | これ | kore | this |
| 美味しい | おいしい | oishii | tasty / delicious |
| 今日 | きょう | kyou | today |
| 寒い | さむい | samui | cold (weather) |
| この | この | kono | this (modifier) |
| 映画 | えいが | eiga | movie |
| 面白い | おもしろい | omoshiroi | interesting / funny |
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FAQ
What does かな (kana) mean in Japanese?
かな (kana) is a sentence-ending particle used to express uncertainty, curiosity, or self-reflection. It often translates to “I wonder…” or “I’m not sure if…” in English
Is かな (kana) formal or casual?
かな is casual and typically used in spoken Japanese, inner thoughts, or informal writing. It is not appropriate for formal business situations or polite speech.
What JLPT level is かな (kana)?
かな is usually taught at the JLPT N4–N3 level, but it appears frequently in everyday Japanese, so learners encounter it early in real conversations.
What is the difference between かな (kana) and か (ka)?
か (ka) is a direct question marker. かな (kana) expresses wonder or uncertainty, often without expecting an answer