でしょう

§ What でしょう Means and How to Use It

You're learning Japanese, and you've probably heard でしょう (deshou) a lot. This little word is super useful, and it has a couple of main jobs. Think of it as a way to express probability or to seek agreement. It's not a verb, noun, or adjective itself; it's an auxiliary word that attaches to other words to add nuance.

Let's break down its two primary uses:

• Expressing Probability/Conjecture: When you're not 100% sure about something, but you think it's likely. In English, this is like saying "probably," "likely," "I guess," or "I suppose."
• Seeking Agreement/Confirmation: When you state something and want the listener to agree or confirm what you've said. This is similar to saying "isn't it?" or "right?" at the end of a sentence in English.

Understanding which meaning is intended often comes down to context and intonation. If the speaker's voice goes up at the end, they're usually asking for agreement. If it goes down, they're probably making a conjecture.

§ Using でしょう for Probability

When you're making a guess or stating something you believe is probable, you attach でしょう to the end of a sentence. It can follow verbs, adjectives (い-adjectives and な-adjectives), and nouns. The conjugation rules are pretty straightforward:

• Verbs: Attach でしょう to the plain form (dictionary form, ない form, た form).
• い-adjectives: Attach でしょう directly to the い-adjective.
• な-adjectives: Add でしょう after the な-adjective (without the な).
• Nouns: Add でしょう after the noun.

DEFINITION

Probably, likely, I suppose.

Hint: It will probably rain tomorrow.

Hint: This is probably delicious.

Hint: He's probably a student.

§ Using でしょう to Seek Agreement

The other common use for でしょう is to seek confirmation or agreement from your listener. It's a way to engage them in conversation, implying that you expect them to agree with your statement. This is often translated as "isn't it?" or "right?"

The conjugation rules are the same as when expressing probability. The key difference here is the intonation. When you're asking for agreement, your voice will typically rise at the end of the sentence, like a question.

DEFINITION

Isn't it? Right? Don't you think?

Hint: This cake is delicious, isn't it?

Hint: It will be sunny tomorrow, right?

Hint: Mr. Tanaka is a teacher, isn't he?

§ ですでしょう vs. でしょう

You might also hear or see ですでしょう (desu deshou). While でしょう can be used after nouns and な-adjectives, ですでしょう is a more polite form often used in formal situations or when you want to soften your statement. However, for everyday conversation at the A2 level, just using でしょう is perfectly fine and more common.

Focus on mastering でしょう first. The polite nuances can come later!

§ Practice Makes Perfect

The best way to get comfortable with でしょう is to practice. Try to incorporate it into your sentences when you're speculating or when you want to get a reaction from your conversation partner. Pay attention to how native speakers use it, especially their intonation.

• Think of things you're not 100% sure about and try to express them using でしょう.
• Ask your Japanese friends or language exchange partners for their opinions, ending your questions with でしょう.
• Listen for でしょう in anime, dramas, or podcasts. What context is it used in? What's the intonation like?

With a little practice, でしょう will become a natural part of your Japanese vocabulary. Keep at it!

§ What is でしょう?

Japanese Word

でしょう (deshou)

Definition

Probably, likely; isn't it? (seeking agreement).

でしょう (deshou) is an auxiliary verb in Japanese with two main uses. It's an important word to learn early on because it helps you express probability and seek agreement in a polite way. Think of it as adding a 'softness' to your statements or questions.

§ Expressing Probability: 'Probably' or 'Likely'

When でしょう is used to express probability, it often translates to "probably" or "likely." It suggests that the speaker believes something is true, but they are not 100% certain. This is similar to saying "I think it is..." or "It's probably..." in English.

You attach でしょう to the plain form of verbs, i-adjectives, and na-adjectives, and to nouns. Here's how:

• Verbs: Plain form + でしょう
• I-adjectives: Plain form + でしょう
• Na-adjectives: Plain form (remove な) + でしょう
• Nouns: Noun + でしょう

Let's look at some examples:

(Ashita wa ame ga furu deshou.)
Tomorrow, it will probably rain.

(Sore wa takai deshou.)
That is probably expensive.

(Kanojo wa shizuka deshou.)
She is probably quiet.

(Kare wa gakusei deshou.)
He is probably a student.

§ Seeking Agreement: 'Isn't it?' or 'Right?'

The second main use of でしょう is to seek agreement from the listener. In this context, it functions much like adding "isn't it?" or "right?" at the end of a sentence in English. It's a way to invite confirmation or shared understanding.

When used this way, the speaker often expects the listener to agree with their statement. The intonation of でしょう will usually rise slightly at the end, making it sound more like a question.

The conjugation rules are the same as when expressing probability:

• Verbs: Plain form + でしょう
• I-adjectives: Plain form + でしょう
• Na-adjectives: Plain form (remove な) + でしょう
• Nouns: Noun + でしょう

Here are some examples of でしょう used to seek agreement:

(Ano eiga wa subarashii deshou.)
That movie is wonderful, isn't it?

(Kyou wa atsui deshou.)
It's hot today, isn't it?

(Kare wa Nihonjin deshou.)
He's Japanese, right?

§ でしょう vs. だろう (darou)

だろう (darou) is the plain form of でしょう. They have the same meaning and function, but でしょう is more polite and formal, while だろう is casual. You'll typically use でしょう in most situations unless you are speaking with close friends or family in an informal setting.

(Ashita wa hareru darou.)
Tomorrow it will probably be sunny. (Casual)

(Ashita wa hareru deshou.)
Tomorrow it will probably be sunny. (Polite)

§ Practical Tips for Using でしょう

§ Understanding でしょう

The Japanese word でしょう (deshou) is a versatile auxiliary verb that you'll hear all the time. It has a couple of main uses: expressing probability and seeking agreement. Think of it as 'probably,' 'likely,' or 'isn't it?' depending on the context. Mastering でしょう will make your Japanese sound much more natural and help you understand nuances in conversations.

DEFINITION

Probably, likely; isn't it? (seeking agreement).

§ でしょう in the Workplace

In a work setting, でしょう is often used to express a moderate level of certainty or to ask for confirmation from a colleague without being too direct. This makes conversations smoother and more collaborative.

• When discussing project deadlines:

  このプロジェクトは来週までには終わるでしょう。

  This project will probably be finished by next week.

• When proposing a plan or suggesting a meeting time:

  明日の会議は午後3時で大丈夫でしょうか？

  Tomorrow's meeting at 3 PM should be fine, shouldn't it?

§ でしょう in School and Academia

In academic environments, でしょう helps convey hypotheses, predictions, or to engage students in a discussion by seeking their input or agreement. It's less about strict facts and more about likely outcomes or shared understanding.

• When a teacher is explaining a concept and checking for understanding:

  この式を使えば、答えはすぐにわかるでしょう。

  If you use this formula, you'll probably know the answer right away.

• When students are discussing a topic and offering their opinions:

  この研究結果は、今後の政策に影響を与えるでしょう。

  These research results will probably influence future policies.

§ でしょう in News and Public Announcements

News anchors and public speakers use でしょう to report on expected events, predictions, or to state something that is widely accepted as true. It gives a sense of informed speculation without stating absolute certainty.

• When reporting on weather forecasts:

  明日は全国的に晴れるでしょう。

  It will probably be sunny nationwide tomorrow.

• When discussing future economic trends:

  来年の景気は回復する方向に向かうでしょう。

  The economy will probably head towards recovery next year.

§ Don't use でしょう with things you know for sure

One of the most common mistakes beginners make is using でしょう when they are certain about something. Remember, でしょう implies probability or seeking agreement. If you know for a fact that something is true, you don't need to use でしょう.

This sentence literally means "Tomorrow will probably be sunny." If you've just checked the weather forecast and it clearly states tomorrow will be sunny, you wouldn't use でしょう. You would simply say:

§ Don't overuse でしょう

While でしょう is a useful word, overusing it can make your Japanese sound hesitant or uncertain. It's important to vary your sentence endings and expressions of probability. There are other ways to express uncertainty or seek agreement.

For example, instead of always saying:

You could also use other phrases depending on the nuance you want to convey:

• これは美味しいですか？ (Is this delicious? - a direct question)

• これは美味しいね。(This is delicious, right? - more casual, seeking softer agreement)

• たぶん美味しいです。(It's probably delicious. - stating probability without seeking agreement)

§ Incorrectly attaching でしょう to verbs and adjectives

Remember the rules for attaching でしょう to different word types. It's a common error to attach it directly to the plain form of certain words without the correct conjugation or intermediary particles.

Verb (plain form)

食べます (tabemasu - eat) -> 食べるでしょう

い-Adjective (plain form)

美味しい (oishii - delicious) -> 美味しいでしょう

な-Adjective (plain form)

静か (shizuka - quiet) -> 静かでしょう (NOT 静かででしょう)

Noun (plain form)

学生 (gakusei - student) -> 学生でしょう (NOT 学生ですでしょう)

The です is unnecessary when attaching でしょう to a noun in this context. The correct way would be:

§ Confusing でしょう with でしょ

While very similar in sound, でしょう (deshou) and でしょ (desho) have a slight difference in formality and nuance. でしょ is a more casual, informal version of でしょう, often used among friends or in very relaxed settings. Using でしょ in formal situations can sound inappropriate.

Formal/Polite

これは美味しいでしょう。(This is delicious, isn't it?)

Informal/Casual

これ美味しいでしょ。(This is delicious, right?)

Let's break down でしょう (deshou), a really useful Japanese auxiliary verb. You'll hear this one all the time, so getting a good grasp of it is important for sounding natural.

Definition

Probably, likely; isn't it? (seeking agreement).

でしょう has two main uses, and they're pretty different, so pay close attention to the context.

§ Expressing Probability/Likelihood

When でしょう is used to express probability, it means 'probably' or 'likely'. It shows that the speaker isn't 100% sure, but they think something is true or will happen.

§ Seeking Agreement / Confirmation

The second use of でしょう is to seek agreement or confirmation from the listener, similar to saying 'isn't it?' or 'right?' in English. It implies that the speaker expects the listener to agree with their statement.

When used to seek agreement, でしょう is often pronounced with a rising intonation at the end of the sentence. In casual speech, you'll often hear だろう (darou) or でしょ (desho) used instead of でしょう, especially by younger speakers or in informal settings. だろう is typically used by men, and でしょ can be used by both men and women, but it's generally more informal.

§ Comparing でしょう with similar words

You might be wondering how でしょう differs from other words that express similar meanings. Let's look at a few common ones:

• だろう (darou): This is the plain form of でしょう. It carries the same meanings of probability and seeking agreement but is more casual. While でしょう is generally polite, だろう is informal. You'll hear だろう more among friends or family.

  彼は来るだろう。
  He will probably come.

• かもしれません (kamoshiremasen) / かも (kamo): These also express possibility, but often with a lower degree of certainty than でしょう. Kamoshiremasen suggests 'it might be' or 'there's a possibility,' whereas でしょう implies 'it's likely' or 'I think it's true.'

  明日は雨が降るかもしれません。
  It might rain tomorrow.

  Here, the possibility of rain is presented as less certain than with でしょう.

• はずです (hazu desu): This indicates a strong expectation or belief that something should be true based on external information or common sense. It implies a higher degree of certainty than でしょう. You're saying, 'It should be the case' or 'It's supposed to be.'

  彼はもう着いたはずです。
  He should have arrived already.

Understanding these nuances will help you choose the right word for the right situation. Practice using でしょう in both contexts to make it a natural part of your Japanese vocabulary!