さ（間投助詞）

さ（かんとうじょし）

Like, You know, You see, Listen, Uhh

あのさ、私わたしさあ、この前まえさあ、お金かね貸かしたじゃん？あれさあ、返かえしてくれない？

Hey, um… I, uhh, lent you, like, money before, right? You know… can you give that back to me?

Explanation

This 「さ」 sits in the middle of a sentence as a spoken filler with no real meaning. You pause after the subject or a time word to gather your thoughts and keep the listener's attention. It is like 'you know' or 'so, like': 「僕さ、昨日さ、駅で友達に会ったんだ」 (I, you know, yesterday, I ran into a friend at the station). It is for casual talk between close people, and young people and men use it a lot.

Mixed up with

Use it only with people you are close to. Saying 「さ」 often in a formal setting, at work, or to a superior or elder sounds careless and rude.

In listening it carries no meaning. Ignore it and catch the words around it.

Examples

来週らいしゅう箱根はこねに行いくんだけどさ…どこか美味おいしいところ知しらない？
I am going to Hakone next week, soooo… Do you know any good restaurants?
友達ともだちとの会話かいわ：「あのさ、俺おれ、彼女かのじょができたんだ！」
Chat between friends: 'Listen, I got myself a girlfriend!'
「今朝けささあ、母かあさんに怒おこられたよ。」
'I got scolded by mom in the morning, you know.'
ね～聞きいてよ。彼女かのじょがさ、急きゅうに別わかれたいっていって来きたんだけどどうすればいいの。
Heyyy, listen to this. You know my girlfriend? She suddenly came to me saying that she wants to break up with me, what should I do.
夜中よなかに急きゅうに娘むすめから電話でんわが来きてさあ...本当ほんとうにビックリしたよ。
My daughter suddenly called me in the middle of the night, and... it really startled me.
「あのさぁ、好すきな人ひととかいるの？」
'Listen, do you have someone you like?'
「内緒ないしょだけどさ、彼かれ宝たからくじに当あたったんだよ。」
'Between us, you see, he won the lottery.'
Ａ：「私わたしさぁ、明日あしたから５連休れんきゅうなんだ！」Ｂ：「いいなぁー」
A: 'I have, you see, a 5 day weekend starting from tomorrow.' B: 'Lucky!'
Ａ：「彼かれってさとてもいい父親ちちおやらしいよ。」Ｂ：「そうなんだぁ。」
A: 'Speaking of him, you see, I heard that he is a very good father.' B: 'Is that so?'
ちずるちゃん：「すがわらくんさぁ、本気ほんきでわたしに告白こくはくするつもりあるの？」
Chizuru-chan: 'Sugawara-kun, like, are you seriously planning to confess to me?'
怒おこっているお客きゃくさん：「あのさあ、こっち並ならんでるんだからさあ、こっちから応対おうたいすべきじゃね？」
Angry customer: 'Listen. We've been waiting in line here, so shouldn't you serve us first?'
「あのさぁ、昨日きのう帰かえるときさぁ、あるやつにクラクションを鳴ならされてさぁ…びっくりした。」
'Listen, yesterday, when I was going back home, like, some guy, honked at me, you see... It startled me.'
友達ともだちとの就職しゅうしょくについての話はなし、Ａ：「お前まえさぁ、やる気きあるの？」Ｂ：「俺おれさぁ、就職しゅうしょくじゃなくて、進学しんがくしようと思おもってる。」
A conversation among friends about finding a job, A: 'Listen, man, do you feel like doing it?' B: 'You see, I am not looking for a job, I plan to go to uni.'
上司じょうしが部下ぶかに仕事しごとの進捗しんちょくを聞きく：「あのさ、この前まえお願ねがいした資料しりょうだけど、進捗しんちょくどう？」
Superior asking a subordinate about work progress: 'Listen, is there any progress with the documents I requested earlier?'
息子むすこ：「お母かあさん、来月らいげつさぁ、合宿がっしゅくがあるから１万まん円えんちょうだい。」母はは：「バイトして貯ためなさい。」
Son: "Mom, so, next month I have a training camp, so give me 10,000 yen." Mother: "Get a part-time job and save up."