right? isn't it? let's~; confirmation (じゃないか) – Japanese Grammar じゃないか (janai ka)

Q: What JLPT level is じゃないか?

JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Q: How do you use じゃないか in a sentence?

Attach じゃないか to the appropriate verb or noun form. Right? isn't it? let's~; confirmation

Q: Is じゃないか formal or casual Japanese?

じゃないか can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

じゃないか

N4 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

janai ka

right? isn't it? let's~; confirmation

なさる nasaru または matawa かしら ka shira そうに・そうな sou ni / sou na って tte さっき sakki 急に kyuu ni おきに oki ni 終わる owaru そうだ sou da [2] お～になる o~ni naru そんなに sonna ni たところ ta tokoro は〜が… は wa~ga... wa ているところ teiru tokoro お～ください o~kudasai みたいな mitai na づらい zurai られる rareru かもしれない kamo shirenai なさる nasaru または matawa かしら ka shira そうに・そうな sou ni / sou na って tte さっき sakki 急に kyuu ni おきに oki ni 終わる owaru そうだ sou da [2] お～になる o~ni naru そんなに sonna ni たところ ta tokoro は〜が… は wa~ga... wa ているところ teiru tokoro お～ください o~kudasai みたいな mitai na づらい zurai られる rareru かもしれない kamo shirenai

🃏 Flashcard

じゃないか

janai ka

Tap to reveal usage

right? isn't it? let's~; confirmation

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N4

Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Reading janai ka

Post ID 50706

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

right? isn't it? let's~; confirmation

📖 How to use it

Used to seek agreement or confirmation, or to suggest doing something together.

Attaches to Attach to the plain form of verbs, adjectives, or nouns + だ. For nouns and na-adjectives, use じゃないか directly after the noun or stem (e.g., 学生じゃないか). For verbs and i-adjectives, attach to the plain present or past form (e.g., 行くじゃないか, 行ったじゃないか).

This pattern is common in spoken Japanese for seeking agreement or confirming something you believe to be true. When used with a falling intonation, it means 'right?' or 'isn't it?'. For example, if you see a friend looking tired, you might say '疲れたじゃないか' meaning 'You're tired, aren't you?' It can also be used to express surprise or realization, like 'あ、ここにあったじゃないか' meaning 'Oh, it was here after all.'

When used with a rising intonation and with a suggestion to do something, it often functions like 'let's' or 'why don't we?' For instance, 'そろそろ行くじゃないか' means 'Why don't we go soon?' This usage is more assertive than a plain suggestion, but still friendly.

In casual speech, 'じゃないか' often becomes 'じゃない' (dropping the か) with a rising tone. However, that is a separate casual form; the basic pattern with か is fine in everyday conversation and is not too formal.

この映画、面白いじゃないか。

Kono eiga, omoshiroi janai ka.

This movie is interesting, isn't it?

時間がないから、早く行くじゃないか。

Jikan ga nai kara, hayaku iku janai ka.

We don't have time, so why don't we go quickly?

あれ、ここに本があったじゃないか。

Are, koko ni hon ga atta janai ka.

Oh, the book was here after all, wasn't it?

Not じゃない (without か) じゃない (casual) is used in informal speech to ask for agreement or express surprise, but it is more direct and often seen as a confirmation of a fact. じゃないか is slightly more formal and can also suggest an action, which じゃない alone does not do.

Register Spoken and fairly casual; acceptable in most everyday conversations, but not used in very formal writing or speech.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

じゃないか

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat じゃないか three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Flip Before Reading

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Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using じゃないか. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns

← Previous

いたします

to do (polite form of する)

かどうか

whether or not

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern じゃないか mean? ▼

Right? isn't it? let's~; confirmation

What JLPT level is じゃないか? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use じゃないか in a sentence? ▼

Attach じゃないか (janai ka) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is じゃないか formal or casual Japanese? ▼

じゃないか is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember じゃないか long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.