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ようか~まいか
N2 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today
you ka~mai ka
whether or not; considering options
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🃏 Flashcard
ようか~まいか
you ka~mai ka
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whether or not; considering options
N2
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level N2
Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage
Reading you ka~mai ka
Post ID 51186
Patterns today 0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes

whether or not; considering options

📖 How to use it

Expresses indecision about whether to do something or not.

Attaches to Attach ようか to the volitional form of the verb (e.g., 行こうか), and まいか to the negative-volitional form まい (e.g., 行くまいか). For verbs that have a special まい form, use that (e.g., する→すまいか, 来る→来まいか).

This pattern is used when you are considering two options: doing something or not doing it. It often appears with verbs of thinking or deciding, like 考える, 迷う, or 決める. It conveys a sense of weighing the pros and cons internally. For example, you might be standing in front of a shop, wondering if you should go in or not. It is a bit literary and often found in written narratives or formal speeches, but you might hear it in movies or dramas when a character is deliberating dramatically. In everyday conversation, people usually use ~かどうか or ~するかしないか, which are simpler and more natural. This pattern is more sophisticated and signals that the speaker is being thoughtful or the situation is serious.

大学に行こうか行くまいか、一人で悩んでいる。
Daigaku ni ikou ka iku mai ka, hitori de nayande iru.
I'm worrying by myself about whether to go to university or not.
彼に告白しようかすまいか、ずっと迷っている。
Kare ni kokuhaku shiyou ka sumai ka, zutto mayotte iru.
I've been torn over whether to confess my feelings to him or not.
新しい仕事を引き受けようか引き受けるまいか、考える時間がほしい。
Atarashii shigoto o hikiukeyou ka hikiukeru mai ka, kangaeru jikan ga hoshii.
I need time to think about whether to take on the new job or not.
Not ~かどうか ~かどうか is used in everyday speech and is simpler: 行くかどうか. ようか~まいか is more formal and literary, and sounds like a dramatic internal dilemma. Use ~かどうか for normal questions, and ようか~まいか when you want a more reflective or written tone.
Register This is a formal, written or literary pattern; in casual conversation, it sounds stiff, so use it in essays, speeches, or narration.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ようか~まいか
📚 How to Master This Pattern
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Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ようか~まいか three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
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Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
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Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using ようか~まいか. 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.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ようか~まいか mean? ▼
Whether or not; considering options
What JLPT level is ようか~まいか? ▼
Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ようか~まいか in a sentence? ▼
Attach ようか~まいか (you ka~mai 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 ようか~まいか formal or casual Japanese? ▼
ようか~まいか is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember ようか~まいか 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.