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Spoken Japanese Contractions: 16 Casual Forms (〜てる, 〜ちゃう, 〜なきゃ)

JLPT N4JLPT N3casual16 cards · 話し言葉の縮め方

Textbook Japanese and spoken Japanese differ most in contractions. These 16 casual grammar cards show how 〜ている becomes 〜てる, 〜てしまう becomes 〜ちゃう, 〜なければ becomes 〜なきゃ, plus 〜って, 〜かな, 〜っけ and 〜よね. Levels: 14 at JLPT N4 and 2 at N3.

Hover or tap a card for the example sentence.

  • 01JLPT N4

    〜てる

    ~teru

    spoken form of ~te iru

    casual
    Example

    今、何してる？

    What are you doing right now?

  • 02JLPT N4

    〜ちゃう

    ~chau

    spoken form of ~te shimau

    casual
    Example

    ケーキ、全部食べちゃった。

    I ate the whole cake, oops.

  • 03JLPT N4

    〜とく

    ~toku

    spoken form of ~te oku

    casual
    Example

    飲み物、買っとくね。

    I'll grab the drinks beforehand.

  • 04JLPT N4

    〜なきゃ

    ~nakya

    gotta (from ~nakereba)

    casual
    Example

    もう帰らなきゃ。終電だ！

    Gotta go — last train!

  • 05JLPT N4

    〜んだ

    ~nda

    explanatory tone (from ~no da)

    casual
    Example

    明日、試験があるんだ。

    See, I've got an exam tomorrow.

  • 06JLPT N4

    〜って

    ~tte

    quotative (casual と/という)

    casual
    Example

    田中さん、来られないって。

    Tanaka says he can't make it.

  • 07JLPT N4

    〜かな

    ~kana

    I wonder...

    casual
    Example

    雨、降るかな。

    I wonder if it'll rain.

  • 08JLPT N3

    〜っけ

    ~kke

    what was it again?

    casual
    Example

    約束、何時だったっけ？

    What time did we say again?

  • 09JLPT N4

    〜ちゃった

    ~chatta

    ended up doing (past)

    casual
    Example

    寝坊しちゃった！ごめん！

    I overslept! Sorry!

  • 10JLPT N3

    〜てく

    ~teku

    spoken form of ~te iku

    casual
    Example

    コンビニ寄ってく？

    Wanna swing by the convenience store?

  • 11JLPT N4

    〜じゃない？

    ~ja nai?

    isn't it...?

    casual
    Example

    この色、かわいいじゃない？

    Isn't this color cute?

  • 12JLPT N4

    〜すぎ

    ~sugi

    way too... (clipped)

    casual
    Example

    この量、多すぎ！

    This portion is way too big!

  • 13JLPT N4

    〜の？

    ~no?

    casual question marker

    casual
    Example

    もう帰るの？

    Leaving already?

  • 14JLPT N4

    〜よね

    ~yo ne

    right? (seeking confirmation)

    casual
    Example

    明日、休みだよね？

    Tomorrow's a day off, right?

  • 15JLPT N4

    〜じゃなくて

    ~ja nakute

    not... but...

    casual
    Example

    水曜じゃなくて、木曜だよ。

    It's not Wednesday — it's Thursday.

  • 16JLPT N4

    〜なくちゃ

    ~nakucha

    have to (casual)

    casual
    Example

    そろそろ準備しなくちゃ。

    I'd better start getting ready.

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