Dō shita-no? (What's wrong?)

Situation 1: Mr. Sere finds his girlfriend, Yuri, looking pale.

セレ： どうしたの？顔色が悪いよ。

ゆり： 朝から頭が痛いの。風邪をひいたみたい。

Sere: Dō shita-no? Kaoiro-ga warui-yo.

Yuri: Asa-kara atama-ga itai-no. Kaze-o hiita mitai.

Sere: What's wrong? You look pale.

Yuri: I've had a headache since this morning. I think I have a cold.

Today we will introduce some proper uses of the sentence-ending particle の, which is used in informal conversation. Sentence-ending の has a variety of uses. In Sere's remark above, the の is pronounced with rising intonation, and is the equivalent to のですか/んですか/のか/んか, signifying a question and asking for an explanation. It is used by both genders. Example: あれ、まだ昼 (ひる)ごはんを食(た)べてないの？ (What? Haven't you had lunch yet?); どうしてあの仕事(しごと)を断(ことわ)ったの？ (Why did you turn down that work?). In Yuri's remark, the の is pronounced with falling intonation and is equivalent to のです/んです/のだ/んだ, and this の has the function of showing the explanation. This の is mainly used by female speakers or children; male speakers tend to use んだ instead. Examples: まだお腹(なか)がすいていないの (I'm not hungry yet); 来月(らいげつ)から、旅行(りょこう)に行(い)くの/行くんだ (I'm going on a trip from next month). The sentence-ending particle の also has the function of confirmation, expressing that the speaker understands what they have seen or heard. This の is pronounced with falling intonation and is mainly used by female speakers. Again, male speakers usually use んだ instead. Examples: あ、山本(やまもと)さん、ここにいたの (Ah, you're here, Mr. Yamamoto); なんだ、そうだったの/んだ (Oh, was that right?).

Situation 2: Little Mariko has a toothache but refuses to go to the dentist. Her mother tells her to go.

まり子： 私、歯医者に行きたくない。あの歯医者さん、意地悪 なの。

母： ほら、文句を言わないの。ちょっとだけがまんすれば、よくなるのよ。

Mariko: Watashi, haisha-ni ikitakunai. Ano haisha-san, ijiwaruna-no.

Haha: Hora, monku-o iwanai-no. Chotto-dake gaman-sureba, yoku-naru-no-yo.

Mariko: I don't want to go to the dentist. He's nasty.

Mother: Hey, you shouldn't complain. Your tooth will get better if you just put on a brave face and see it through.

In the mother's first remark, the sentence-ending particle の is used to give a light order. It is pronounced with falling intonation and is used to one's junior or a familiar person like a child. It is mainly used by females.

Bonus Dialogue: On Saturday morning, Mrs. Okubo asks her husband whether he plans to go to the gym.

妻： あれ、きょうはジムに行かないの？

夫： きょうはジムが休(やす)みなんだよ。二週間(にしゅう かん)改修工事(かいしゅうこうじ)をするんだって。

妻： ああ、そうだったの。

夫： そっちこそ、テニスに行(い)かないの？

妻： いつも一緒(いっしょ)に行(い)っている友(とも)だちが 旅行(りょこう)に行っちゃったから、今週(こんしゅう)は行かないことにしたの。

夫： そうか。...運動(うんどう)をしないと、体(からだ)の調子(ちょうし)がおかしくなりそうだなあ。

妻： ジムに通(かよ)う前(まえ)はあんなに行(い)くのを面倒 (めんどう)くさいって言(い)っていたのに。

夫： 運動していると、体調(たいちょう)がいいんだ。 テニスももっとちゃんと行ったほうがいいんじゃ ない？最近(さいきん)、おなかが太(ふと)くなってきたよ。

妻： そんなこと、言(い)わないの！私(わたし)だって気(き)にしているんだから。

Wife: Oh, aren't you going to the gym today?

Husband: The gym's not open today. It'll be under repair for two weeks, I heard.

Wife: Ah, is that so?

Husband: Anyway, aren't you going to tennis today?

Wife: The friend I always go with went on a trip, so I decided not to go this week.

Husband: I see ... but if we don't do any exercise, we're bound to get out of shape.

Wife: You've said before that it's a hassle to get motivated to go to the gym.

Husband: I'm in good shape as long as I do exercise. You should go to tennis more regularly. You're looking a bit plump around the stomach recently.

Wife: How dare you say such a thing! I'm sensitive about that, you know.