JLPT N4 grammar

〜かしらmeaning and usage

Meaning

I wonder A?

How to form it

  • verb (plain form)/い-adjectiveかしら
  • noun/な-adjective (stem)かしら

How it is used

“I wonder …”, asked of oneself or gently of the listener. It sounds feminine; young people use it less, and it is heard more from older women and in fiction. The neutral equivalent is 「〜かな」. 「〜ないかしら」 can express a hope or a soft request.

Examples

  1. 今日は暑くなるかしら？

    I wonder if today will get hot?

  2. このケーキ、だれが作ったのかしら。

    I wonder who made this cake.

  3. 早くバスが来ないかしら。

    I wish the bus would come soon.

  4. あの人は、新しい先生かしら。

    I wonder if that's the new teacher.