かい

JLPT Level: N4
Meanings

informal question marker (masculine/slang)

rough way to ask a question

tag question used by men

soften/roughen a question depending on tone

Usage

Verb (plain) + かい

い-adjective + かい

な-adjective/Noun + かい

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.
これは本当かい。
これはほんとうかい。

Is this true?

明日行くかい。
あしたいくかい。

Are you going to go tomorrow?

元気かい。
げんきかい。

Are you feeling well?

どうしてそんなことをするのかい。
どうしてそんなことをするのかい。

Why would you do something like that?

時間がないのかい。
じかんがないのかい。

Do you not have time?