Japanese grammar · Intermediate (B1)
Seems and hearsay: ～そう, ～よう, ～らしい
Looks like (～そう), I hear (～そうだ), it seems from evidence (～ようだ／みたい) and apparently (～らしい): how to form them and which one to choose.
Four ways to say “it seems”
Japanese is careful to show how you know something. Did you see it with your own eyes, hear it from someone, or work it out from clues? Four endings do this work, and they can make the same event sound quite different.
| Japanese | Meaning | How you know |
|---|---|---|
| (ame ga furisō desu) | it looks like it's going to rain | you see it (dark clouds) |
| (ame ga furu sō desu) | I hear it's going to rain | someone told you (the forecast) |
| (ame ga futte iru yō desu) | it seems to be raining | you judge from clues (wet umbrellas) |
| (ame ga futte iru mitai) | looks like it's raining | the same, casual |
| (ame ga futte iru rashii) | apparently it's raining | second-hand, not fully sure |
～そう: it looks …
To say what something looks like from its appearance, add ～そう (-sō) to the ます stem of a verb or to the stem of an adjective: (oishii) → (oishisō), looks tasty; (genki) → (genkisō), looks well; (ochiru) → (ochisō), looks as if it will fall. Two exceptions: (ii) → (yosasō), (nai) → (nasasō).
It works like a な-adjective: (oishisō na kēki), a delicious-looking cake; (tanoshisō ni hanasu), to talk happily. Don't use it for what is obvious at a glance: say (kirei desu ne), not きれいそう.
- このケーキ、おいしそう！Kono kēki, oishisō!This cake looks delicious.
- 七海、元気がなさそうだね。Nanami, genki ga nasasō da ne.Nanami, you look a bit down.
- 今にも雨が降りそうです。Ima ni mo ame ga furisō desu.It looks as if it's going to rain any moment.
～そうだ: I hear
To pass on information you heard or read, put (sō da), polite (sō desu), after a plain form. The source often comes first with ～によると (ni yoru to), according to: (nyūsu ni yoru to, atarashii eki ga dekiru sō desu), according to the news, a new station is being built.
Nouns and な-adjectives take (da) before it: (gakusei da sō desu). This itself doesn't change for past or negative; the plain form before it does.
- 天気予報によると、明日は雪が降るそうです。Tenki yohō ni yoru to, ashita wa yuki ga furu sō desu.According to the forecast, it's going to snow tomorrow.
- 田中さん、結婚したそうですよ。Tanaka-san, kekkon shita sō desu yo.I hear Ms Tanaka got married.
- あの店は日曜日は休みだそうだ。Ano mise wa nichiyōbi wa yasumi da sō da.I hear that shop is closed on Sundays.
～ようだ and ～みたい: it seems
(yō da) and its casual equivalent (mitai) give your own judgement, based on what you notice: sounds, signs, someone's behaviour. They follow a plain form. With nouns, needs (no) and nothing; with な-adjectives, needs (na): (rusu no yō desu), (rusu mitai), it seems nobody's home.
Both are also used for comparisons: (yume no yō da), (yume mitai), it's like a dream. In polite speech, is a gentle way to state a problem: (sukoshi netsu ga aru yō desu ne), you seem to have a slight fever.
- 血圧が少し高めのようですね。Ketsuatsu ga sukoshi takame no yō desu ne.Your blood pressure seems to be a little on the high side.
- 隣の部屋、誰もいないみたい。Tonari no heya, dare mo inai mitai.It looks like there's nobody in the next room.
- 田中さんは風邪をひいたようです。Tanaka-san wa kaze o hiita yō desu.Mr Tanaka seems to have caught a cold.
～らしい: apparently
(rashii) after a plain form means “apparently”: you heard it or gathered it, but you're not taking responsibility for it. It is common in conversation for rumours and second-hand news. Nouns and な-adjectives take it directly: (kare wa gakusei rashii), apparently he's a student.
After a noun, can also mean “typical of, just like”: (haru rashii tenki), real spring weather; (anata rashikunai), that's not like you.
- 駅前に新しいカフェができるらしいよ。Ekimae ni atarashii kafe ga dekiru rashii yo.Apparently a new café is opening by the station.
- 観光客が去年より増えたらしい。Kankōkyaku ga kyonen yori fueta rashii.Apparently there are more tourists than last year.
Choosing the right one (B2)
～そうだ (hearsay) reports clearly what a source said, so it suits news and messages. is vaguer and more conversational; it suggests rumour, or distance from what you're saying. is your own careful judgement and sounds objective, which makes it common in formal speech and writing; is the everyday spoken version.
Compare (kare wa isogashisō da), he looks busy (I can see it); (kare wa isogashii sō da), I hear he's busy; (kare wa isogashii yō da), he seems to be busy (he hasn't replied); (kare wa isogashii rashii), apparently he's busy (so people say). In casual speech, you'll also hear (ppoi), -ish, looks like: (kaze ppoi), I think I'm getting a cold.