さcasual particle: hey, you know
The さ of casual speech. Inside a sentence it keeps the other person with you while you go on. At the end of a sentence it says something lightly, as a matter of course.
inside a sentence
So yesterday, at the station, I ran into Tanaka.
Inside a sentence
Word or phrase + さ、
After almost any word or phrase the voice can pause on: 昨日さ, 駅でさ, それでさ, 遅れてさ. Often drawn out: あのさあ.
Ending a sentence
Plain form + さ
A noun or a な-adjective takes it with no だ: そうさ.
Inside a sentence: あのさ, それでさ
This さ adds no meaning. Like the ね of 昨日ね、駅でね, it is a pause before you go on. It is more casual: anyone says it, but only to friends, family or someone junior. In polite speech the pause is ですね: 昨日ですね、…. English says "you know" or "so", or nothing.
あのさ opens a conversation, like "hey". Without さ, あの can be said to anyone.
So then I tried asking the teacher.
You know what, I'm moving next month.
Sorry, my train was late.
People often stop on it and leave the rest unsaid.
At the end of a sentence: なんとかなるさ
After a finished sentence, さ makes it sound obvious: nothing to make a fuss about. Mostly men say it, and you meet it more in manga, novels and song lyrics than in life.
There's nothing to worry about.
Light, as if it were obvious.
That's right. I made it.
Close neighbours
さ (高さ)N4
A different さ: joined to an adjective, it makes a noun. 高い is "high" and 高さ is "height".
Please measure the height of this desk.
Check yourself
1You want to ask your teacher something after class. Which opening fits?
Choose an answer to see why.
2In which sentence is さ the casual particle?
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
ってさ passes on what you have heard, and anyone says it.
They say it's going to rain tomorrow.
More sentences
But, I mean, isn't it a bit expensive?
Sorry. I kept getting lost.
Oh well, never mind.
We'll see each other again.