JLPT N5 grammar comparison
ね (agreement / confirmation) vs でしょう
By Nihongo PathUpdated
The difference
From the ね (agreement / confirmation) lesson
でしょう: でしょう？ also seeks agreement, but sounds more confident: "right? (I'm sure)".
From the でしょう lesson
ね (agreement / confirmation): ね also seeks agreement but sounds less sure than でしょう？.
Side by side
ね (agreement / confirmation)
ne (agreement, confirmation) · JLPT N5
- Meaning
- Sentence-final particle: "isn't it? / right?" — seeks agreement or confirms shared knowledge.
- Formation
Polite sentence + ね (〜ですね ／ 〜ますね)Plain sentence + ね (〜だね ／ 〜るね)そうですね = "Yes, that's right / let me see"
いい天気ですね。
いい てんきですね。
Nice weather, isn't it?
田中さんは日本人ですね。
たなかさんは にほんじんですね。
Mr Tanaka is Japanese, right?
でしょう
deshou · JLPT N5
- Meaning
- "probably ~ / I suppose ~" (conjecture); with rising intonation でしょう？ = "right?" (seeking agreement).
- Formation
Plain form + でしょう (な-adj and Noun WITHOUT だ: 静かでしょう, 学生でしょう)
明日は晴れるでしょう。
あしたは はれるでしょう。
It will probably be sunny tomorrow.
あの人はたぶん先生でしょう。
あの ひとは たぶん せんせいでしょう。
That person is probably a teacher.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ね (agreement / confirmation) and でしょう?
でしょう？ also seeks agreement, but sounds more confident: "right? (I'm sure)".
When do you use でしょう instead of ね (agreement / confirmation)?
ね also seeks agreement but sounds less sure than でしょう？.