〜かな / 〜かしら (~kana / ~kashira) — I wonder…
Not sure yet — you say it half to yourself.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
「かしら」means exactly the same thing, but it is mostly women's speech and today mainly older women use it; men do not say かしら.
Meaning
「かな」carries the feeling "I wonder if…".
How to attach
- How to attach: put かな straight onto the plain form (降る → 降るかな, 間に 合う → 間に 合うかな, 高い → 高いかな).
- With a noun or a な-adjective, drop だ (休みだ → 休みかな).
- The negative 「行かないかな」also works.
Versus what you know
Which to pick? When you actually want an answer from the other person, use 「〜でしょうか」, not かな.
Watch out
- The danger: かな and かしら are only for friends and same-age 同僚.
- Saying 「間に 合うかな」to a 店長 or a 先輩 does not sound like a question to them — it sounds like muttering to yourself, as if you were ignoring them.
- Upward it is always 「間に 合うでしょうか」.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
雨が 降るかな。
あめが ふるかな。
I wonder if it will rain.
明日 晴れるかしら。
あした はれるかしら。
I wonder if it will clear up tomorrow. — mostly women
店長には「間に 合うでしょうか」と 聞きます。
てんちょうには「まに あうでしょうか」と ききます。
To your 店長 you ask 「間に 合うでしょうか」.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
Which line is 「明日 雨かな」said the way women usually say it?
💡 Hint: Same meaning as かな, but a different speaker.
かしら means the same as かな and is mostly women's speech. It adds no politeness — friends and same-age 同僚 only. To a 店長 say 「明日 雨でしょうか」.
How do you ask your 店長 "Will we make it in time?"
💡 Hint: With someone above you, です／ます.
かな sounds like muttering to yourself. To a 店長 say 「間に 合うでしょうか」.
What happens when you add かな to 「休みだ」?
💡 Hint: What happens to だ after a noun?
After a noun or な-adjective, だ drops and かな attaches: 休みかな.
Your score: /3