～かなあ (〜kanaa)
Explanation
Expresses uncertainty or wonder; 'I wonder', 'I'm not sure'.
Formation
Verb-casual + かなあ, い-Adjective + かなあ, (な-Adjective/Noun) + (だ) + かなあ
Detailed Explanation
The ～かなあ grammar point is used to express a feeling of uncertainty or wonder about a situation or statement. It can be translated as 'I wonder' or 'I'm not sure' in English. In casual spoken Japanese, when using nouns or な-adjectives before かなあ, the copula だ is often omitted or replaced with の (e.g., 学生かなあ or 学生なのかなあ). This grammar point should not be used when asking questions directly to someone, as it may come off as too direct or impolite.
Examples
明日雨が降るかなあ。
Ashita ame ga furu kanaa.
I wonder if it will rain tomorrow.
このケーキは美味しいかなあ。
Kono keeki wa oishii kanaa.
I wonder if this cake is delicious.
彼は病気かなあ。
Kare wa byouki kanaa.
I wonder if he is sick.
彼女は学生かなあ。
Kanojo wa gakusei kanaa.
I wonder if she is a student.
Grammar content sourced from hanabira.org.