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1. Sentence Particles (in Casual Conversation)

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Standard
Kansai
Conformation

な/(のう)
Assertion

わ/で/(がな)
Question
?(raising tone)
?/か/(け)/(かいな)

Confirmation marker ね becomes な (のう is also used by elderly people), and assertion marker よ becomes で or わ (light assertion, different from feminine particle わ in the Kansai dialect). がな is a strong, blunt assertive particle usually used by elderly people/local merchants. Questions can be expressed with a raising tone, but か with flat high pitch is often added for yes-no question. け is a blunt question marker usually used by male /elderly people.

今日(きょう)、カレー()べるかあ。→カレー?うん、()べるで。


これ、()べるわ。→そうかあ。


かいな is usually used by elderly people, indicating simple wondering ("I wonder..."), doubt or strong negation ("No way that...!"). Pay attention to the differences of the following two sentences in tone.

こんな(ふる)いのん、()べられるかいな! (ST ()べられないよ!)



今日(きょう)新聞(しんぶん)、どこ()いたかいな? (ST どこに()いたかな?)




<Extra 1: When do Kansai people use よ/ね? >

Young people and women tend to use よ/ね nowadays, influenced by the Standard, but わ/で/な are still very common when talking casually and blunt.  When talking with です/ます style, よ/ね is preferred except among elderly people and local merchants.


<Extra 2: ぼくが(つく)るわ >

わ is a Kansai-typical particle for light assertion, used by both male and female across the generations. The use of this particle is also common when talking with です/ます style.

ほな、今日(きょう)はもう(かえ)りますわ。



<Extra 3: More about かいな : はよ「起」お」きんかい(な)>

When かい(な) follows concentrated verb negatives such as 「食」た」べん, ()ん, ()まん, it can be a command (usually used by older generation). Listen to the following two sentences carefully. Can you tell the difference of the tones?

はよ()きんかいな!  (ST はやく()きなさい!)



はよ()きんかいな。  (ST はやく()きないかなあ。)




<Extra 4: もう(かえ)るえ〜 >

You may hear え at the end of the sentence when Kyoto women talk. It is a traditional feminine particle that is equivalent to a question marker か or assertion よ.

今晩(こんばん)は、ぎょうさん()むえ。 (ST たくさん飲むわよ)