ね and な
ね and な are sentence ending particles that both seek some kind of agreement.
ね
Right?
Sentence + ね
ね is a sentence ending particle that asks for (light) agreement from the listener. Its sort of like adding “right?” at the end of a sentence. Typically, this is used when you’re pretty sure. ね generally wants some kind of (light) confirmation from the listener; this could be a head nod, a うん, or other acknowledgement.
- つかれているね – You’re tired, right?
- いそがしいね – (Its) busy, right? (Looks busy)
- こわいね – That’s scary, right? (When talking about something, not when experiencing it).
ね may also be used to confirm something that you’re pretty sure about.
- これからかえりますね – You’re going home now, right?
- つぎはめんせつだね – Next is an interview, right?
- だめですね – It’s no good, right?
Sometimes, ね just wants a (favorable) response:
- ごめんなさいね – I’m sorry, ok? (For a more serious apology, you probably won’t use ね)
な
Huh?
Sentence + な
な is a less formal, more masculine version of ね。Its used mostly by men, in less formal situations. In more formal situations; i.e. not friends, you should probably use ね。
な can also be used for voicing your own thoughts, in an attempt to get feedback. (See かな）
- つかれているな – You’re tired, huh?
- いそがしいな – (its) busy, huh?
- こわいな – That’s scary, huh?
See also じゃないか.