「〜げ」- Expressing Appearance or Emotional Judgment

Explanation

Grammar: 動ます form + げ, い-Adjectivestem + げ, な-Adjectivestem + げ
Meaning: "Seems like," "appears to be." Used to make judgments about the external appearance or emotions of people or things.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
動ます form + げ	Verbます form + げ	Expresses the emotions, feelings, or characteristics of someone or something observed from the outside, with a speculative nuance.

Basic Usage

• 動ます form + げ
  • Example: 彼かれは自信じしんありげに頷うなずいた。
    Kare wa jishin arige ni unazuita.
    He nodded confidently.
    

Examples

• 彼女かのじょは何なにか言いいたげな顔かおをしてこちらを見みている。
  Kanojo wa nanika iitage na kao o shite kochira o miteiru.
  She seems to want to say something as she looks at me.
  
• 彼かれは寂さびしげに遠とおくを見みている。
  Kare wa sabishige ni tooku o miteiru.
  He looks lonely as he gazes into the distance.

Deep Dive

「〜げ」 is a suffix that transforms verbs, い-Adjectivestems, and な-Adjectivestems into な-Adjectivestems. Although this form is not highly productive and most usages are fixed, its frequency has increased among younger generations in recent years, leading to many new expressions.

Comparison and Differences

• Misunderstanding that 「〜げ」 can be used for the first person. In reality, 「〜げ」 is mainly used to describe third parties.
• Confusing 「〜げ」 with 「〜そう」, where the latter is generally more objective.

Difference Between 「〜げ」 and 「〜そう」

Grammar	Characteristics	Example
「〜げ」	Expresses subjective impressions based on appearance or atmosphere.	彼かれは何なにか言いいたげな顔かおをしている。 Kare wa nanika iitage na kao o shiteiru. He seems to have something to say.

Real-Life Scenarios

• Using 「〜げ」 in daily conversations to describe others' emotional states.
• Using 「〜げ」 in literary works to enhance the vividness of character descriptions or emotions.

Summary

「〜げ」 is used to express judgments about the appearance or emotional state of others or things, with a subjective and speculative tone. It is suitable for use in various contexts.