かい
Meanings
- informal question marker (masculine/slang)
- rough way to ask a question
- tag question used by men
- soften/roughen a question depending on tone
About this pattern
Explanation
かい is a sentence-ending particle used in casual speech, primarily by men. It adds a rough, friendly, or brusque tone to a question. It’s common in everyday conversation and among friends or peers, but can sound old-fashioned or rude in formal settings. It’s often used with short, direct questions and tends to appear with the plain form of verbs or adjectives rather than polite speech.
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Example sentences
Is this true?
Are you going to go tomorrow?
Are you feeling well?
Why would you do something like that?
Do you not have time?
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