〜ね

Isn't it? / Right? (seeking agreement)

ね at the end of a sentence asks the listener to agree with you or to confirm something you think is true. It works like "isn't it?" or "right?" in English.

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How to make it

Rule	Example
Polite sentence + ね	いい天気です → いい天気ですね
Verb (any form) + ね	三時に来ます → 三時に来ますね
Casual: い-adjective + ね	さむい → さむいね
Casual: noun / な-adjective + だね	休み → 休みだね

Meaning and examples

1. Seeking agreement

You say something you think the listener also feels or can see, and invite them to agree, such as comments on the weather or food.
- いい天気ですね。
  
  いいてんきですね。
  
  ii tenki desu ne.
  
  Nice weather, isn't it?
- この魚、おいしいですね。
  
  このさかな、おいしいですね。
  
  kono sakana, oishii desu ne.
  
  This fish is tasty, isn't it?
- 今日はさむいですね。
  
  きょうはさむいですね。
  
  kyou wa samui desu ne.
  
  It's cold today, isn't it?
2. Checking information

You say something you believe is true and ask the listener to confirm it. The voice usually goes up a little at the end.
- あしたは三時に来ますね。
  
  あしたはさんじにきますね。
  
  ashita wa sanji ni kimasu ne.
  
  You're coming at three tomorrow, right?
- たなかさんは先生ですね。
  
  たなかさんはせんせいですね。
  
  tanaka san wa sensei desu ne.
  
  Ms Tanaka is a teacher, right?
3. Reacting to something

You react to what you see or hear, often with a compliment or surprise, and share the feeling with the listener.
- 日本語が上手ですね。
  
  にほんごがじょうずですね。
  
  nihongo ga jouzu desu ne.
  
  Your Japanese is very good!
- 大きい木ですね。
  
  おおきいきですね。
  
  ookii ki desu ne.
  
  What a big tree!

Nuance

ね assumes the listener already knows or shares what you are saying. If you are giving the listener new information, use よ instead. A falling tone sounds like you are sharing a feeling; a slightly rising tone sounds like you are checking. Japanese people use そうですね all the time to show they are listening and agreeing, or to buy a moment to think.

Compared with

〜よ

よ tells the listener something new that they may not know. ね asks them to agree with something you both know or feel.

〜なあ

なあ is more like talking to yourself and showing a strong feeling. ね is aimed at the listener and invites a reply.

Common mistakes

Wrong（はじめて会った人に）わたしの名前はケンですね。

Rightわたしの名前はケンです。

The listener does not know your name yet, so there is nothing to agree on; ね sounds strange here.

Wrongいい天気ねです。

Rightいい天気ですね。

ね always comes at the very end of the sentence, after です.

Wrong今日はさむいだね。

Right今日はさむいね。

い-adjectives take ね directly, with no だ in between.

Practice

JLPT style: choose the best answer for （　）.

1A「今日はあついです（　）。」B「ええ、ほんとうにあついですね。」
2A「たなかさんは来ますか。」B「ええ、来ます（　）。」
3「わあ、きれいな花です（　）。」「ええ、ほんとうに。」
4「このケーキ、おいしい（　）ね。」

FAQ

What is the difference between ね and よ?

Use ね when you expect the listener to agree or already know, and よ when you are telling them something new. いい天気ですね shares a feeling; この店は安いですよ gives information.

Is it polite to use ね with a teacher or boss?

Yes. ね is fine in polite speech when it follows です or ます. Just don't overuse it, as too many ね in a row can sound childish.

Why do Japanese people say そうですね so often?

そうですね means "that's right" and shows you are listening and agree. It is also used, with a slow tone, to buy time while you think of an answer.

More in Sentence basics

〜は〜ですX is Y 〜は〜ですかIs X Y? (question)〜でしたWas / were (past polite)〜よI tell you / you know (assertion)〜じゃないです／〜ではありませんIs not ~ (negative)〜と思いますI think that ~〜んです／〜のですIt's that ~ (explanation / emphasis)〜でしょうProbably ~ / I suppose ~〜のですかIs it that ~? (seeking explanation)〜だ (plain copula)Is / am / are (casual)〜だろうProbably ~ / ~, right? (casual)お〜／ご〜Polite prefix 〜なあExclamation / musing (casual)

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