〜げ
-ge
By Nihongo PathUpdated
This form is also taught at JLPT N3, where it carries a different sense or register.
Meaning
looking ..., seeming ... (appearance of feeling)
〜げ means "looking…, with an air of…" and turns an emotion adjective into a description of how someone visibly seems: 寂しげ (looking lonely), 楽しげ (looking cheerful), 言いたげ (looking as if wanting to say something). It behaves like a な-adjective: 〜げな + noun, 〜げに + verb.
書き言葉寄り and literary; in conversation 〜そう is more common. It describes other people's apparent feelings from their expression or manner, not the speaker's own feeling. Only a limited set of words takes げ: 寂しげ, 悲しげ, 嬉しげ, 楽しげ, 不安げ, 満足げ, 得意げ, 言いたげ, ありげ, 大人げない.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
Aい stem + げ / Aな + げ / Vます + げ (a few: 言いたげ・ありげ)
Visual diagram
寂し
adjective stem + げ
- + げだ寂しげだpredicate: looks lonely
- + げな + N寂しげな顔modifier: a lonely-looking face
- + げに + V寂しげに見るadverb: look (at) with a lonely air
Natural examples
彼女は寂しげに窓の外を見ていた。
かのじょはさびしげにまどのそとをみていた。
She was looking out the window with a lonely air.
げに + verb, adverbial use.
子供たちは楽しげに遊んでいる。
こどもたちはたのしげにあそんでいる。
The children are playing happily.
げに with a な-adjective-like word (楽しい → 楽しげ).
彼は何か言いたげな顔をしていた。
かれはなにかいいたげなかおをしていた。
He had a look as though he wanted to say something.
言いたげな + noun from Vたい.
彼は得意げに新しい車を見せびらかした。
かれはとくいげにあたらしいくるまをみせびらかした。
He showed off his new car with a proud air.
得意げ from the な-adjective 得意.
子供たちは不安げな顔で母親を待っていた。
こどもたちはふあんげなかおでははおやをまっていた。
The children waited for their mother with anxious faces.
不安げな + noun.
Similar grammar and the difference
〜そうだ (appearance)
Everyday equivalent (寂しそう); げ is more literary and limited to emotion words.
A slight state (疲れ気味), not visible emotion. Compare side by side
〜っぽい
Quality or impression (子供っぽい); not a momentary look.
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 私は寂しげだ。
- ✓
- 私は寂しい。
- Why
- げ describes how others look; for your own feeling say the adjective directly.
- ✗
- 彼女は寂しいげに笑った。
- ✓
- 彼女は寂しげに笑った。
- Why
- Drop い before げ.
- ✗
- 寂しげ顔
- ✓
- 寂しげな顔
- Why
- げ is a な-adjective; add な before a noun.
意味ありげ ("meaningful-looking") and 何か言いたげ are common set phrases. 大人げない ("childish, immature") is a fixed word from 大人 + げ + ない. Because it is literary, げ is frequent in novels and descriptions of characters.
JLPT N2 tips
On the exam
- An emotion adjective stem + blank + な/に describing someone else → げ.
- Distractors: そう, 気味, っぽい. If the subject is 私, げ is unlikely.
- Form questions test 寂しげ (not 寂しいげ) and げな before nouns.
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜げ mean?
looking ..., seeming ... (appearance of feeling). 〜げ means "looking…, with an air of…" and turns an emotion adjective into a description of how someone visibly seems: 寂しげ (looking lonely), 楽しげ (looking cheerful), 言いたげ (looking as if wanting to say something). It behaves like a な-adjective: 〜げな + noun, 〜げに + verb.
How do you form 〜げ?
Aい stem + げ / Aな + げ / Vます + げ (a few: 言いたげ・ありげ). V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is 〜げ used?
書き言葉寄り and literary; in conversation 〜そう is more common. It describes other people's apparent feelings from their expression or manner, not the speaker's own feeling. Only a limited set of words takes げ: 寂しげ, 悲しげ, 嬉しげ, 楽しげ, 不安げ, 満足げ, 得意げ, 言いたげ, ありげ, 大人げない.
What is the difference between 〜げ and 〜そうだ (appearance)?
Everyday equivalent (寂しそう); げ is more literary and limited to emotion words.
What is the difference between 〜げ and 〜気味?
A slight state (疲れ気味), not visible emotion.
What is a common mistake with 〜げ?
Wrong: 私は寂しげだ。 Right: 私は寂しい。 げ describes how others look; for your own feeling say the adjective directly.
Quick check
彼女は何か言いた（ ）な顔をしていた。