1a-b. か (ka)

2. かな (kana)

3. かしら (kashira)

4. の (no)

5. って (tte)

1a. か (ka)

Indicates a question at the end of a sentence. Its tone has the politeness expected in everyday conversation with strangers or social superiors, in contrast to the casualness indicated by particles 2, 5.

i)

山本：最近さいきんお仕事しごとはいかがいですか。

竹下：以前いぜんほど順調じゅんちょうではないですね。

Yamamoto: How is work going these days?

Takeshita: Not as smoothly as before.

ii)

京子：昨日きのうの試合しあい、どっちが勝かったんですか。

直美：もちろんAチームですよ。

Kyoko: Who won yesterday’s game?

Naomi: The A team, of course.

1b. か (ka)

Indicating a question, doubt, or uncertainty in mid-sentence.

i)

今日きょうは風邪かぜを引ひいたのか、朝あさからのどが痛いたい。

Maybe I’ve caught a cold—I’ve had a sore throat today since morning.

ii)

明日あしたの会合かいごうに何人なんにん来くるのか、わからない。

I don’t know how many people are coming to tomorrow’s gathering.

2. かな (kana)

Typically used by men, indicates a tentative question or uncertainty at the end of a sentence. The feminine equivalent is かしら (3), both in function and in casualness of tone. English equivalent: “I wonder.”

i)

課長かちょう：午後ごごからの緊急会議きんきゅうかいぎのこと、みんな知しってるかな？

係長かかりちょう：大丈夫だいじょうぶですよ、メールしてありますから。。。

Section chief: I wonder if everyone knows about the emergency meeting starting this afternoon.

Subsection chief: Don’t worry about it. An email has been sent out.

ii)

夫おっと：明日あしたゴルフに行いくんだけど、高田君たかだくんも行いかないかな？

妻つま：お電話でんわしてみたら？

Husband: I’m going golfing tomorrow. I wonder if Takada won’t go too.

Wife: Why not call and find out?

3. かしら (kashira)

Typically used by women, indicating a tentative question or uncertainty at the end of a sentence. The masculine equivalent is かな (2), both in function and in casualness of tone.

i)

妻つま：どうしたのかしら？お財布さいふに入いれておいたのに、鍵かぎがないの。

夫おっと：大丈夫、テーブルの上うえにあるよ。

Wife: I wonder what happened? I put it in my purse, but the key is gone.

Husband: Don’t worry. It’s there on the table.

ii)

智美：あの新しいレストラン、おいしいかしら？

美江：おいしいわよ。昨日きのう百合ゆりと行いってみたの。

Satomi: I wonder how good that new restaurant is?

Mie: It’s pretty good. Yesterday I went with Yuri to try it out.

4. の (no)

Spoken with rising intonation, indicates a question at the end of the sentence. Equivalent in function to か (1a) but provides a softer, more casual tone.

i)

母：もうご飯はん食たべたの？

息子：まだ食たべ終おわってないよ。

Mother: Have you already eaten?

Son: I haven’t finished yet. / I’m still eating.

ii)

春美：どこへ行くの？

久美子：お茶ちゃ飲のみに行いくんだけど、春美も行かない？

Harumi: Where are you going?

Kumiko: I’m going out for a cup of tea. Why don’t you come along?

5. って (tte)

With a rising intonation, indicates a question at the end of a sentence, asking if what one has heard is true. Typical of the spoken language and most often heard between friends or family. Often found in the form of だって (datte), but can also follow a verb（食べるって taberu tte). Without the rising intonation, the question becomes a statement (as in Tomiko’s response in the second sentence below), meaning “I hear that….” English equivalent: “Is it true (as I have heard) that…?”

i)

由香：フランス語ご、明日あした試験しけんだって？

登美子：そうだって、いやねえ。

Yuka: Is it true there’s a French test tomorrow?

Tomiko: That’s what I hear. Ugh!

ii)

高山：部長ぶちょう、もう帰かえっちゃったんだって？

近藤：そうなんですよ。

Takayarna: The department head’s already gone?

Kondo: That’s correct.