Use ね to seek agreement or share a feeling with the listener. Compare the examples and table, then try the exercises.

The idea

Use ね to seek agreement or share a feeling with the listener. Use よ when giving information or emphasizing something for the listener. ね can also check shared understanding, as when confirming a day off.

Patterns to compare
FormExample
寒さむいです寒さむいですね
あそこですあそこですよ
お休やすみですお休やすみですね

Examples

  • 今日きょうは寒さむいですね。It is cold today, isn’t it?
  • この花はなはきれいですね。These flowers are pretty, aren’t they?
  • あしたはお休やすみですね。Tomorrow is a day off, right?
  • 田中たなかさんは今日きょうはお休やすみですよ。Tanaka is off today, just so you know.
  • この店みせのパンはおいしいですよ。The bread at this shop is delicious, you know.
  • 駅えきはあそこですよ。The station is over there, just so you know.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Neither has a fixed English equivalent; tone and context affect how strongly each sounds.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. Seek agreement about the shared experience. 今日きょうは寒さむいです＿＿。（ね／よ）

    Show answer or example answer

    ね

    ね — Use ね to seek agreement or share a feeling with the listener.

  2. Choose the correct option. Tell someone information they do not yet know. 駅えきはあそこです＿＿。（ね／よ）

    Show answer or example answer

    よ

    よ — Use よ when giving information or emphasizing something for the listener.

  3. Choose the correct option. Confirm something you both expect. あしたはお休やすみです＿＿。（ね／よ）

    Show answer or example answer

    ね

    ね — ね can also check shared understanding, as when confirming a day off.

Use it today

Make two sentences about your own life with this pattern. Check their form and meaning against the examples.