Japanese grammar
What does ～げ mean? Japanese grammar N3
～げ means looking ~; seeming ~; with an air of ~.
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N3 |
|---|---|
| Structure | Aい drop い／Aな + げ |
| Romaji | ge |
| Meaning | looking ~; seeming ~; with an air of ~ |
Forming it
| Connection | Aい, drop い／Aな + げ |
|---|
How to use it
A suffix stating the OUTWARD APPEARANCE expressing the emotion of ANOTHER PERSON. Attaches to the adjective stem.
- 「～げ」 = looking like...: 「不安げ」 (looking anxious), 「楽しげ」 (looking happy), 「寂しげ」.
- Attaches to the ADJECTIVE STEM (dropping 「い」/「な」); the result is a na-adjective, so modify a noun with 「げな＋N」, and use 「げに」 as an adverbial.
- Only used for emotion observed in ANOTHER PERSON, not for oneself.
Examples
彼は不安げに時計を見た。
He looked at the clock anxiously.
子どもたちは楽しげに話している。
The children are talking happily.
Keep in mind
- Not used for one's own feelings.
- Only combines with a handful of familiar emotion adjectives.
Common mistakes
-
Wrong楽しそうげに話した。
Correct楽しげに話した。
Don't stack そう and げ; drop い from 楽しい then add げ.
Exam tips
- 「げ」 = looking like (emotion of ANOTHER person); attaches to the adjective stem, used as 「げな/げに」.