Grammar Info

Non-JLPT Lesson 2: 1/12

ぞ

Strong emphasis (toward anyone), !

Structure

Phrase + ぞ

Details

    About ぞ

    ぞ is a sentence-ending particle that is used for emphasis in a similar way to よ. However, it is quite a bit stronger and primarily only used by men. While よ may simply state a point or a fact, ぞ is usually reserved for more forcefully highlighting something. In many cases, it will just be translated as an exclamation point.

    ぞ may be used at the end of any sentence, but can only follow conjugatable words such as verbs, adjectives, and auxiliary verbs.

    The speaker frequently uses ぞ simply to encourage or convince themselves, rather than specifically directing the statement at another.

    Caution

    Although uncommon, ぞ may also be used as an adverbial particle in the same way as は. In sentences like this, it is more emphatic and draws extra attention to the topic itself.

    • これぞ日本車(にほんしゃ)だ。
      Now, this is a Japanese car.
    • 着物(きもの)ぞ日本(にほん)の文化(ぶんか)だ。
      Kimonos are Japanese culture!

    Additionally, this use of ぞ as an adverbial particle may also follow question words such as どこ ‘where’, 誰(だれ) ‘who’, なに ‘what’, etc.

    • 誰(だれ)ぞ手(て)を貸(か)せ！
      Someone, give me a hand!
    • こんな夜(よる)遅(おそ)くまで、どこぞで何(なに)をしていた？
      Where were you and what were you doing out this late at night?

    This use is also emphatic, but not quite to the same extent as with standard nouns.

    Examples

    --:--

      鍵(かぎ)をなくした…。これは弱(よわ)ったぞ。

      I lost the key… Now this is troublesome!

      やった〜！実験(じっけん)が上手(うま)くいったぞ！

      Yahoo! The experiment went well!

      スケジュールより遅(おく)れている。急(いそ)ぐぞ！

      I am running behind schedule. I will hurry up!

      走(はし)るのが遅(おそ)いぞ！もっと速(はや)く走(はし)りなさい！

      Your running is slow! Run faster!

      ヒーロー：「あの怪物(かいぶつ)に好(す)き勝手(かって)はさせないぞ！」

      Hero: 'I will not let that monster freely do whatever it wants!'

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