よ

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Add よ at the end of a sentence after its predicate.
  • 安いですよ gives a polite statement, while 安いよ gives a plain-style statement.
• Basic usage: It conveys information or a judgment as if informing the listener or drawing their attention to it.
  • この店は安いですよ。 tells the listener that the shop is inexpensive.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Distinct from politeness
  • よ does not itself make a sentence polite. Distinguish it from predicate forms such as です or ます.
• Compared with ね
  • よ focuses on conveying information, while ね focuses on seeking agreement or shared feeling. よ can also draw renewed attention to something the listener already knows.
• Strength of tone
  • Depending on intonation and context, it can sound like helpful guidance or a forceful assertion. Adding it to every sentence does not make speech more natural.