JLPT N5 · Particles
なあ (naa)
～なあ — sentence-final feeling
In short · A sentence-final particle that lets feelings out: admiration, a sigh or a wish. It is often used like a monologue and is casual.
Pattern
-
普通形＋なあplain form + なあ -
〜たいなあ〜たいなあ (a wish)
How to use it
Use it when moved by what is in front of you or musing to yourself: いい天気だなあ.
Wishes
In 〜たいなあ or 〜ないかなあ it expresses a wish (早く帰りたいなあ).
Difference from ね
ね asks the listener to agree. なあ is about your own feeling and needs no listener.
Examples
-
いい天気（てんき）だなあ。
Ii tenki da nā.
What nice weather it is!
-
この料理（りょうり）はおいしいなあ。
Kono ryōri wa oishii nā.
This food sure is delicious.
-
早（はや）く家（いえ）に帰（かえ）りたいなあ。
Hayaku ie ni kaeritai nā.
I really want to go home soon.
Common mistakes
- It is casual and unsuited to polite talk with superiors.
- After a noun or な-adjective, だ appears (いい天気だなあ).
More grammar points
- は は (wa) — the topic particle
- を を (o) — the object particle
- に に (ni) — time, destination, location
- で で (de) — place of action & means
- と と (to) — and / together with
- の の (no) — possessive & noun linker
- へ へ (e) — direction
- も も (mo) — also / too
- か か (ka) — the question marker
- から から・まで — from … to …
- より より (yori) — than (comparison)
- だけ ～だけ — “only ～”
- で ～で — place, means and cause
- が ～が — marks the subject
- か か — the question particle
- まで ～まで — “until / up to ～”
- も ～も — “also / too”
- ね ～ね — “..., right? / isn’t it?”
Practice this in the app
Mainichi JLPT turns these grammar points into daily quizzes and a readiness gauge — 100% free, no sign-up.