ねえ
ねえ
interjection
hey, right?, isn't it
1.
hey, say
Used to get someone's attention or call out to them.
ねえ、ちょっと聞いて。
Hey, listen for a sec.
ねえ、一緒に行かない？
Hey, want to go together?
ねえ、見て見て！
Hey, look look!
ねえ、今何してる？
Hey, what are you doing now?
ねえ、お願いがあるんだけど。
Hey, I have a favor to ask.
2.
right?, isn't it?, don't you think?
Sentence-final particle seeking agreement or confirmation from the listener.
今日は暑いねえ。
It's hot today, isn't it?
この映画、面白かったねえ。
This movie was interesting, wasn't it?
美味しいねえ。
It's delicious, isn't it?
大変だったねえ。
That must have been tough, huh?
久しぶりだねえ。
It's been a while, hasn't it?
DUAL FUNCTION:
1. Sentence-initial: attention-getting ("hey")
2. Sentence-final: agreement-seeking particle ("right?")
VARIANT FORMS:
- ねえ: standard, friendly
- ね: shorter, lighter
- ねー: elongated, more emphatic
- なあ: masculine equivalent (Kansai: なー)
INTONATION:
- Rising (initial): calling attention
- Falling (final): seeking agreement
- Flat: casual confirmation
GENDER NOTE: As an attention-getter, ねえ is slightly more common among female speakers, while おい or なあ are more masculine. As a sentence-final particle, it's used by all genders.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- ねえねえ: repeated for emphasis ("hey hey")
- 〜よねえ: stronger agreement-seeking
- 〜だよねえ: emphatic confirmation
VS. ね:
- ね: lighter, more frequent, less emphatic
- ねえ: more emphatic, emotional, or attention-demanding