Meaning
The speaker asks themselves or gently expresses doubt. かな is casual; かしら is feminine and somewhat old-fashioned, and today women also usually say かな. To a superior, use 〜でしょうか.
Formation
- Plain verb or い-adjective + かな: 降るかな, おいしいかな
- Nouns and な-adjectives without だ: 休みかな; with a question word: どうして来ないのかな
- Volitional + かな: 行こうかな (maybe I'll go); かしら is a feminine, old-fashioned variant
When to use it
- Core use
- I wonder …
Example
明日は雨が降るかな
I wonder if it will rain tomorrow.
Important notes
- Pay attention to the word form before the construction and to the particles around it.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate the pattern word for word; first identify its function in the whole situation.