なあhow …; I wish …
A feeling comes over you and you say it out loud, mostly to yourself: how beautiful, how quick, how you'd love to go. Nobody has to answer.
Wow, the sea is beautiful.
I used to play here a lot when I was a child.
How to form it
Plain form + なあ
早いなあ, 行きたいなあ, 遊んだなあ. A noun or a な-adjective needs だ: きれいだなあ. Often said short, いいな, and written なぁ or なー.
- Before it
- The plain form, even in a polite conversation: it is your own thought. ですなあ is mostly older men's speech.
- Said to
- Yourself. Someone beside you may hear it and answer, but you aren't asking them to.
- The feeling
- Wonder, longing, looking back, envy, or a grumble: すごいなあ, 行きたいなあ, 困ったなあ.
- Who says it
- Anyone, to themselves. A short な said to another person in place of ね (そうだな) is blunter, and heard mostly from men.
- Where you'll meet it
- Casual talk, text messages, diaries, and thoughts in manga and novels.
In use
Ten years already. Time really flies.
The rain just won't stop.
This photo really brings back memories.
When someone has what you would like, いいなあ is "lucky you".
I'm going to Okinawa next week.
Lucky you. I wish I could go too.
To yourself, not to them
It's quiet today.
A thought said out loud. Nobody is asked anything.
It's quiet today, isn't it?
Turned to the person beside you. You want them to agree.
Close neighbours
なN5
After a dictionary form, a short, sharp な is an order: "don't". 食べるな is "don't eat"; よく食べるなあ is "he really does eat a lot".
Danger! Don't go onto the tracks!
ねN5
The same remark turned to the other person. In polite speech this is the one: ですね.
It's quiet here, isn't it?
Check yourself
1You are alone on a hill, looking at the sunset. Which do you say?
Choose an answer to see why.
2Which one fits?
この
Choose an answer to see why.
3A friend tells you they have next week off, and you answer いいなあ. What have you said?
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
At the start of a sentence, なあ calls to someone, like "hey". It is rougher than ねえ, and heard more from men.
Hey, listen for a second.
More sentences
This bread smells wonderful.
You can see so many stars.
The sky really is getting dark.
Look, there's a rainbow.
Wow, it's huge.
Shall we get going?
Yeah, let's.