When you add 〜そうだ to the stem of an adjective or the stem of a verb, it means “it seems” or “it looks like” something. You’re making a guess based on what you’re observing.
For example, if you say 美味しそうです (oishisou desu), it means “it looks delicious.” You’re looking at food and it appears delicious to you.
Another example: If you see dark clouds, you might say 雨が降りそうです (ame ga furi sou desu), meaning “it looks like it’s going to rain.” You’re observing the sky and making a prediction.
Remember, this is about what you can see or perceive directly. It's a way to describe something's appearance or a situation based on your senses.
When you want to say something "seems" or "looks like" based on what you observe, you can use the auxiliary suffix 〜そうだ (sou da). This is attached to the stem of verbs and adjectives.
For example, if you see dark clouds, you might say 雨が降りそうだ (ame ga furisou da), meaning "It looks like it's going to rain."
You can also use it with adjectives. If someone looks happy, you can say 楽しそうだ (tanoshisou da), meaning "He looks happy."
It's important to note that 〜そうだ is used when you are making a judgment based on what you can see or perceive, not something you heard.
When you add 〜そう (sō) to the stem of an adjective or verb, it means something "looks like" or "seems like" something. You're making a judgment based on what you see or hear right now. For example, if you see dark clouds, you might say 雨が降りそうです (ame ga furisō desu), meaning "It looks like it's going to rain."
It's important to remember that this form is about your immediate perception, not a general truth or a rumor. If you want to say you heard something, you'd use 〜そうです (sō desu) with a different meaning. With this 〜そう (sō) form, you're observing and making an inference in the moment.
For i-adjectives, drop the final い (i) before adding そう (sō). For na-adjectives, you just add そう (sō) directly after the stem. For verbs, you attach it to the ます (masu) stem. For example, 楽しそう (tanoshisō) means "looks fun," and 元気そう (genkisō) means "looks energetic."
When attaching ~そう to adjectives and verbs, it conveys that something "seems" or "looks like" something based on an observation. The usage changes slightly depending on the word it attaches to. For i-adjectives, you drop the final い and add ~そう. For example, おいしい (oishii - delicious) becomes おいしそう (oishisou - looks delicious).
For na-adjectives, you simply add ~そう directly after the adjective. For instance, 元気 (genki - healthy/energetic) becomes 元気そう (genkisou - seems healthy/energetic).
When attaching ~そう to verbs, you drop the final ます (masu) from the ます-form and add ~そう. For example, 降ります (orimasu - to get off) becomes 降りそう (orisou - looks like it's going to get off/fall). There are a few exceptions, like ない (nai - not) which becomes なさそう (nasasou - doesn't seem to be), and いい (ii - good) which becomes よさそう (yosasou - looks good).
It's important to remember that this form is used for expressing an observation or impression, not a definitive fact. It's like saying, "From what I see, this is what I conclude."
When attaching ~sou da (~そうだ) to the stem of an i-adjective, drop the final -i. For example, oishii (おいしい) becomes oishisou (おいしそう). With na-adjectives and verbs, you attach ~sou da (~そうだ) directly to the stem. For example, genki (元気) becomes genki sou (元気そう), and iku (行く) becomes ikisou (行きそう).
This auxiliary expresses an observation or an impression based on what you see or hear. It implies a degree of uncertainty, as it's an interpretation rather than a confirmed fact. For example, if you see dark clouds, you might say, "Ame ga furisou da" (雨が降りそうだ - It looks like it's going to rain).
It's often used to describe someone's appearance or state, such as "Kare wa isogashisou da" (彼は忙しそうだ - He looks busy), or to describe the apparent quality of something, like "Kono keeki wa oishisou da" (このケーキはおいしそうだ - This cake looks delicious).
Remember that ~sou da (~そうだ) based on observation is different from ~sou da (~そうだ) used to report hearsay. The nuance depends on the context and the word it's attached to.
When attaching 〜そうだ to the stem of an adjective or to a verb in masu-form, it conveys that something "seems" or "looks like" a certain way, based on direct observation. For instance, if you see dark clouds, you might say 「雨が降りそうだ」 (It looks like it's going to rain). Or if someone appears to be having fun, you could say 「楽しそうだ」 (They look like they're having fun). This expression is used for immediate impressions from sensory information, distinguishing it from のようだ or らしい which are based on hearsay or more general deductions. It's a very common and practical way to express a perceived likelihood or appearance in Japanese.
〜そうだ 30초 만에
- Use 〜そうだ for observations.
- Attach to verb/adjective stems.
- Means 'it seems' or 'looks like'.
§ What does it mean and when do people use it?
The Japanese auxiliary suffix 〜そうだ (sou da) is incredibly useful for expressing that something 'seems' or 'looks like' something else, based on your direct observation. It's like saying, "From what I can see, this is the situation." This isn't about hearsay or what you've been told; it's about drawing conclusions from visual cues, sounds, smells, or other sensory information.
Think of it as adding a layer of educated guesswork to your statements. You're not stating a definitive fact, but rather sharing an impression. This makes your Japanese sound more natural and nuanced, as native speakers constantly use this kind of indirect expression.
- DEFINITION
- 〜そうだ (auxiliary) means 'it seems' or 'looks like,' based on direct observation. It's used when you are making an inference from sensory information.
You attach 〜そうだ to the stem of adjectives (both い-adjectives and な-adjectives) and verbs. The conjugation rules are straightforward, but crucial for using it correctly. Let's break down how to use it with different types of words.
§ How to use 〜そうだ with い-adjectives
When using 〜そうだ with い-adjectives, you drop the final い and attach そうだ. It's that simple!
このケーキは美味しそうだね。
This cake looks delicious, doesn't it?
彼は忙しそうです。
He seems busy.
Notice how dropping the い changes おいしい (oishii - delicious) to おいしそう (oishisou - looks delicious), and いそがしい (isogashii - busy) to いそがしそう (isogashisou - seems busy). You're conveying an immediate impression.
§ How to use 〜そうだ with な-adjectives
For な-adjectives, you attach そうだ directly after the adjective stem (without the な). It's even simpler!
彼女は元気そうですね。
She looks energetic, doesn't she?
あのレストランは賑やかそうです。
That restaurant seems lively.
Here, げんき (genki - energetic) becomes げんきそう (genkisou - looks energetic), and にぎやか (nigiyaka - lively) becomes にぎやかそう (nigiyakasou - seems lively). Again, it's all about what you perceive.
§ How to use 〜そうだ with verbs
With verbs, you attach そうだ to the ます-stem (the stem form before adding ます). This indicates that an action 'looks like' it's about to happen, or that it 'seems' like someone is going to do something.
雨が降りそうだ。
It looks like it's going to rain.
彼は泣きそうな顔をしていた。
He had a face that looked like he was about to cry.
Here, 降ります (furimasu - to fall/rain) becomes 降りそう (furisou - looks like it will fall/rain), and 泣きます (nakimasu - to cry) becomes 泣きそう (nakisou - looks like crying). It's about predicting an event or state based on current signs.
§ Common Mistakes and Important Notes
The special case of いい (ii): When using 〜そうだ with いい (ii - good), it becomes よさそうだ (yosasou da). You drop the い and add そうだ to よさ.
それはよさそうな計画ですね。
That looks like a good plan.Using そうだ with nouns: You generally don't attach 〜そうだ directly to nouns in this observational sense. For nouns, you'd usually use phrases like 〜のようだ (no you da - it's like/seems like) or 〜らしい (rashii - seems/is typical of). For example, 学生のようだ (gakusei no you da - seems like a student).
Distinguishing from hearsay そうだ: This is a crucial point for A2 learners. The 'it seems/looks like' そうだ attaches to the stem of verbs/adjectives. The 'I heard that' そうだ attaches to the plain form of verbs/adjectives/nouns. Context and conjugation are your best friends here!
- EXAMPLE (observational)
- 雨が降りそうだよ。(Ame ga furisou da yo.) - It looks like it's going to rain. (You see dark clouds)
- EXAMPLE (hearsay)
- 雨が降るそうだ。(Ame ga furu sou da.) - I heard it's going to rain. (Someone told you)
Mastering 〜そうだ will significantly improve your ability to express nuanced observations in Japanese. Practice using it with different adjectives and verbs, and pay attention to the context to avoid confusion with its hearsay counterpart.
§ Basic Usage with Verbs and Adjectives
「〜そうだ」 is an auxiliary suffix that you attach to verbs and adjectives to express that something 'seems' or 'looks like' a certain way based on your observations. It's about making a judgment based on what you see or hear, not on definite facts. Think of it as saying, 'It appears to be...' or 'It looks as if...'
§ Attaching to Verbs
When you attach 「〜そうだ」 to a verb, you use the stem form (the ます-stem) of the verb. This means you drop the 「ます」 from the ます-form.
- Formula
- Verb ます-stem + そうだ
Let's look at some examples:
- 行く (iku - to go) → 行きます (ikimasu) → 行き そうだ (iki sou da - looks like it's going)
- 降る (furu - to fall, for rain/snow) → 降ります (orimasu) → 降り そうだ (furi sou da - looks like it's going to rain/snow)
- 食べる (taberu - to eat) → 食べます (tabemasu) → 食べ そうだ (tabe sou da - looks like it's going to eat)
雨が 降りそうだ。(Ame ga furi sou da.)
- Hint
- It looks like it's going to rain.
彼はお腹が空いていて、何か 食べそうだ。(Kare wa onaka ga suite ite, nanika tabe sou da.)
- Hint
- He's hungry and looks like he's going to eat something.
§ Attaching to I-adjectives
For i-adjectives, you drop the final 「い」 and attach 「そうだ」.
- Formula
- I-adjective (drop い) + そうだ
Here are some examples:
- 高い (takai - expensive/high) → 高 そうだ (taka sou da - looks expensive/high)
- 寒い (samui - cold) → 寒 そうだ (samu sou da - looks cold)
- 美味しい (oishii - delicious) → 美味し そうだ (oishi sou da - looks delicious)
このケーキはとても 美味しそうだ！(Kono keeki wa totemo oishi sou da!)
- Hint
- This cake looks very delicious!
あの山は 高そうだ。(Ano yama wa taka sou da.)
- Hint
- That mountain looks high.
§ Attaching to Na-adjectives
For na-adjectives, you attach 「そうだ」 directly after the adjective stem (without the 「な」).
- Formula
- Na-adjective stem + そうだ
Some examples include:
- 元気 (genki - healthy/energetic) → 元気 そうだ (genki sou da - looks healthy/energetic)
- 簡単 (kantan - easy/simple) → 簡単 そうだ (kantan sou da - looks easy/simple)
- 暇 (hima - free time) → 暇 そうだ (hima sou da - looks like they have free time)
彼女はとても 元気そうだ。(Kanojo wa totemo genki sou da.)
- Hint
- She looks very energetic.
この仕事は 簡単そうだ。(Kono shigoto wa kantan sou da.)
- Hint
- This job looks easy.
§ Common Phrases and Usage
You'll often hear 「〜そうだ」 in specific common phrases.
「〜そうもない」 or 「〜そうにない」: This means 'doesn't seem likely' or 'unlikely to'. It's the negative form.
今日は雨が 降りそうにない。(Kyou wa ame ga furi sou ni nai.)
- Hint
- It doesn't look like it's going to rain today.
「〜そうな顔をしている」: This means 'to make a face as if...' or 'to look like one is about to...'.
彼は泣き そうな顔をしている。(Kare wa naki sou na kao wo shite iru.)
- Hint
- He looks like he's about to cry.
When using 「〜そうだ」 to describe something as 'looking like X', it often acts like a na-adjective itself, so you'll see 「〜そうな」 modifying nouns and 「〜そうに」 modifying verbs.
美味しそうな ケーキ。( Oishi sou na keeki.)
- Hint
- A delicious-looking cake.
彼女は 悲しそうに 話した。(Kanojo wa kanashi sou ni hanashita.)
- Hint
- She spoke sadly (in a way that seemed sad).
§ What 「〜そうだ」 Means
The Japanese auxiliary suffix 「〜そうだ」 is used when you make a judgment based on what you see or hear. Think of it like saying "it seems" or "it looks like" in English. This isn't about personal feelings or something you heard from someone else; it's about making an observation right now.
- DEFINITION
- Auxiliary adjective suffix: it seems; looks like (based on observation).
§ At Work: Making Observations
In a work setting, you'll often hear 「〜そうだ」 when people are talking about tasks, project status, or even colleagues.
このプロジェクトは順調にいきそうだね。
Translation hint: "This project looks like it's going smoothly." Here, the speaker observes the progress and concludes it's on track.
部長、お忙しそうだから、後で話しかけよう。
Translation hint: "The manager looks busy, so I'll talk to them later." The speaker sees the manager's actions (e.g., typing quickly, on the phone) and infers their busyness.
§ At School: Observing Situations
In a school context, 「〜そうだ」 is helpful for talking about academic performance, weather, or even a classmate's mood.
今日のテストは難しそうだね。
Translation hint: "Today's test looks difficult." This could be based on seeing the test paper, or hearing murmurs from other students who have seen it.
雨が降りそうだから、傘を持っていこう。
Translation hint: "It looks like it's going to rain, so I'll take an umbrella." The speaker observes dark clouds or feels a change in the air.
§ In the News: Reporting on Appearances
News reports often use 「〜そうだ」 to describe situations or conditions based on what is visually apparent or has been stated by officials, but without making a definitive claim.
経済は回復しつつあるそうだ。
Translation hint: "It seems the economy is recovering." This could be based on visible economic indicators or reports that are being presented.
新しい法律が可決されそうだと報じられています。
Translation hint: "It is reported that the new law looks like it will pass." The news is observing the progress of the bill and making a prediction based on current information.
When reading news headlines, you might see it shortened or implied, but the core meaning of "it seems/looks like" based on observation remains.
It gives a sense of immediacy and directness to the report.
Using 「〜そうだ」 correctly will help you sound more natural and precise when discussing things you observe in everyday Japanese conversations, whether at work, school, or when talking about current events.
§ Don't confuse 〜そうだ (seems like) with 〜でしょう (probably)
Many learners mix up 〜そうだ and 〜でしょう. They both express some level of conjecture, but the source of the conjecture is different. Remember: 〜そうだ is for things you observe directly. 〜でしょう is for things you infer or predict based on general knowledge or internal reasoning.
雨が降りそうだ。(It looks like it's going to rain – I see dark clouds.)
明日は雨が降るでしょう。(It will probably rain tomorrow – based on the forecast.)
§ Incorrect conjugation with nouns and な-adjectives
This is a common one. You cannot directly attach 〜そうだ to nouns or な-adjectives in their dictionary form to mean 'seems like'. You need to use the 〜ようです (it seems like) construction instead.
- Wrong
- 彼は医者そうだ。 (Incorrect)
- Right
- 彼は医者のようです。(He seems like a doctor.)
- Wrong
- あの店は有名そうだ。 (Incorrect)
- Right
- あの店は有名なようです。(That shop seems famous.)
Remember, 〜そうだ is specifically for verbs and い-adjectives to express visual or observable 'seems like'.
§ Forgetting the drop for い-adjectives
When using 〜そうだ with い-adjectives, you must drop the final い. If you forget to do this, it sounds very unnatural.
- Wrong
- このケーキは美味しいそうだ。 (Incorrect)
- Right
- このケーキは美味しそうだ。(This cake looks delicious.)
彼はお金持ちではなさそうだ。(He doesn't look like he's rich.)
§ Misunderstanding the nuance: direct observation vs. reported information
Japanese has another 〜そうだ, which means 'I heard that...' or 'It is said that...'. This is conjugated differently. The observational 〜そうだ attaches directly to the stem of verbs (e.g., 食べる → 食べそうだ) and drops the い from い-adjectives (e.g., 寒い → 寒そうだ).
The reported information 〜そうだ attaches to the plain form of verbs and adjectives (e.g., 食べる → 食べるとそうだ, 寒い → 寒いそうだ).
- Observational: ケーキが美味しそうだ。(The cake looks delicious.) - You see the cake.
- Reported: ケーキは美味しいそうだ。(I heard the cake is delicious.) - Someone told you about the cake.
§ Overusing 〜そうだ
While useful, don't overuse 〜そうだ. Sometimes, a simpler expression is more natural. For example, if you're sure something is going to happen, you might just state it directly rather than saying it 'looks like' it's going to happen. It implies a slight degree of uncertainty or inference based on what you see, so use it when that nuance is appropriate.
Practice these points, and you'll master 〜そうだ in no time!
Hello, Japanese learners! Today we're diving into a super useful auxiliary suffix: ～そうだ (sou da). This little gem lets you express that something 'seems' or 'looks like' something else, based on what you observe with your own eyes or hear with your own ears. It's all about making an educated guess based on sensory information. Ready to make your Japanese sound more natural?
§ What does ～そうだ mean?
- Definition
- Auxiliary adjective suffix: it seems; looks like (based on observation).
The key here is 'observation.' You're seeing something or hearing something that leads you to believe a certain way. It's not a guess out of thin air; it's a conclusion drawn from evidence.
§ How to use ～そうだ
Connecting ～そうだ is straightforward, but it depends on the word type:
- For verbs: Drop the ます (masu) from the ます-form and add そうだ.
- For い-adjectives: Drop the い (i) and add そうだ.
- For な-adjectives: Drop the な (na) and add そうだ.
- For nouns: This is where it gets a little different. For nouns, you use ～そうだ after だ (da) or です (desu).
§ Examples in context
雨が降りそうだ。
It looks like it's going to rain.
Here, you're looking at the sky, seeing dark clouds, and concluding that rain is probable.
このケーキはおいしそうだ。
This cake looks delicious.
You're observing the cake's appearance – perhaps it's beautifully decorated or smells good – and making a judgment about its taste.
彼は元気そうだね。
He looks energetic, doesn't he?
You see his movements, his smile, and conclude he's in good spirits.
§ Similar words and when to use this one vs alternatives
Japanese has a few ways to express similar ideas, but each has its nuance. Let's compare ～そうだ with some common alternatives:
- ～ようです (you desu) / ～みたいです (mitai desu): These also mean 'it seems' or 'it looks like,' but they are generally used when your conclusion is based on more indirect evidence, a feeling, or comparison rather than direct, immediate observation. They can also imply a softer, less assertive statement.
雨が降りそうだ。
It looks like it's going to rain. (You see dark clouds.)
雨が降るようです。
It seems like it will rain. (You heard a weather report or just have a general feeling.)
- ～らしい (rashii): This also means 'it seems' but implies you've heard information from someone else, or you're making a judgment based on common knowledge or reputation. It's more about 'hearsay' or 'what is typical.'
彼は元気そうだね。
He looks energetic, doesn't he? (You see him acting energetic.)
彼は元気らしいよ。
He seems energetic. (You heard from a friend he's doing well.)
So, to sum it up: choose ～そうだ when your eyes or ears are telling you something directly. It's a great way to talk about immediate observations and predictions based on those observations. Keep practicing, and you'll get the hang of it!
How Formal Is It?
"雨が降るそうでございます。(It seems it will rain.)"
"雨が降るそうです。(It seems it will rain.)"
"雨が降るそう。(It seems it will rain.)"
"雨が降るそうね。(It looks like it's going to rain, doesn't it?)"
"雨降るそ。(Looks like rain.)"
재미있는 사실
This auxiliary is often taught early in Japanese language learning due to its high frequency and usefulness in expressing immediate observations.
발음 가이드
- pronouncing the 'u' in 'sou' too strongly
난이도
Short and phonetic, relatively easy to recognize.
Short and phonetic, straightforward to write.
Requires understanding of how to attach to verb/adjective stems, but common in speech.
Common in spoken Japanese, but understanding the nuance of 'seems/looks like' requires context.
다음에 무엇을 배울까
선수 학습
다음에 배울 것
고급
알아야 할 문법
Use 〜そうだ after the stem of an i-adjective (remove the final い).
新しい (atarashii - new) becomes 新しそう (atarashisō - looks new).
Use 〜そうだ after the stem of a na-adjective (remove the final な).
元気な (genkina - healthy/energetic) becomes 元気そう (genkisō - looks healthy/energetic).
For verbs, use 〜そうだ after the ます-stem (remove ます).
食べます (tabemasu - to eat) becomes 食べそう (tabesō - looks like it will eat).
For negative forms, use 〜なさそうだ after the negative stem (e.g., verbs: 食べない → 食べなさそうだ; i-adjectives: 楽しくない → 楽しくなさそうだ).
楽しくない (tanoshikunai - not fun) becomes 楽しくなさそうだ (tanoshikunasasōda - looks like it's not fun).
The irregular exception is 良い (ii - good), which becomes よりも 良さそうだ (yosasōda - looks good).
このケーキは良さそうだ (Kono kēki wa yosasōda - This cake looks good).
수준별 예문
雨が降りそうです。
It looks like it will rain.
Verb stem + そうだ
このケーキは美味しそうです。
This cake looks delicious.
い-adjective (remove い) + そうだ
彼は忙しそうです。
He looks busy.
い-adjective (remove い) + そうだ
この本は難しそうです。
This book looks difficult.
い-adjective (remove い) + そうだ
彼女は元気そうです。
She looks healthy/energetic.
な-adjective (remove な) + そうだ (occasionally, though less common with な-adjectives directly)
このカバンは使いやすそうです。
This bag looks easy to use.
Compound い-adjective (remove い) + そうだ
赤ちゃんが泣きそうです。
The baby looks like it's about to cry.
Verb stem + そうだ
彼はとても楽しそうです。
He looks very happy/to be having fun.
い-adjective (remove い) + そうだ
雨が降りそうです。
It looks like it will rain.
Verb stem + そうだ
このケーキは美味しそうです。
This cake looks delicious.
い-adjective stem + そうだ
彼は忙しそうです。
He looks busy.
い-adjective stem + そうだ
彼女は元気そうです。
She seems energetic.
な-adjective stem + そうだ
この本は難しそうです。
This book looks difficult.
い-adjective stem + そうだ
彼はすぐ来そうです。
He seems like he will come soon.
Verb stem + そうだ
そのニュースは本当ではなさそうです。
That news doesn't seem to be true.
Adjective ない form (not ある) + そうだ
彼女は悲しそうです。
She looks sad.
い-adjective stem + そうだ
このパンは美味しそうだね。
This bread looks delicious, doesn't it?
Connecting to the stem of an i-adjective (美味しい -> 美味しそう)
彼は今にも泣きそうだ。
He looks like he's about to cry any moment.
Connecting to the ます-stem of a verb (泣きます -> 泣きそう)
そのニュースは本当そうだ。
That news seems true.
Connecting to a noun + だ (本当だ -> 本当そう)
このパソコンは使いやすそうだ。
This computer looks easy to use.
Connecting to the stem of an i-adjective (使いやすい -> 使いやすそう)
雨が降りそうだ。
It looks like it's going to rain.
Connecting to the ます-stem of a verb (降ります -> 降りそう)
彼女は忙しそうだ。
She looks busy.
Connecting to the stem of an i-adjective (忙しい -> 忙しそう)
この問題は難しそうだ。
This problem looks difficult.
Connecting to the stem of an i-adjective (難しい -> 難しそう)
このカフェは人気そうだ。
This cafe seems popular.
Connecting to a noun + だ (人気だ -> 人気そう)
あの人はとても忙しそうだ。
That person seems very busy.
このケーキは美味しそうだね。
This cake looks delicious, doesn't it?
雨が降りそうだ。
It looks like it's going to rain.
彼は今にも泣きそうだ。
He looks like he's about to cry any minute now.
この問題は難しそうだ。
This problem seems difficult.
彼女は幸せそうだ。
She looks happy.
この料理は辛そうだ。
This dish looks spicy.
そのニュースは本当ではなさそうだ。
That news doesn't seem to be true.
雨が降りそうだ。
It looks like it will rain.
このケーキは美味しそうだね。
This cake looks delicious, doesn't it?
彼女は悲しそうだ。
She looks sad.
彼は疲れているそうだ。
He seems to be tired.
この本は難しそうだ。
This book looks difficult.
急ぎそうにしている。
He looks like he's in a hurry.
そのニュースは本当ではなさそうだ。
That news doesn't seem to be true.
このリンゴは新鮮そうだ。
This apple looks fresh.
자주 쓰는 조합
자주 쓰는 구문
雨が降りそうです。
It looks like it's going to rain.
彼は元気そうです。
He looks well (energetic).
このケーキはおいしそうです。
This cake looks delicious.
彼女は悲しそうです。
She looks sad.
その本は面白そうです。
That book looks interesting.
この仕事は大変そうです。
This job looks tough.
彼は疲れていそうです。
He looks tired.
この問題は簡単そうです。
This problem looks easy.
その犬は怖そうです。
That dog looks scary.
彼女は幸せそうです。
She looks happy.
자주 혼동되는 단어
This is a completely different grammar point, also pronounced 'sou desu,' but it means 'I hear that...' or 'It is said that...'. It attaches to the plain form of verbs and adjectives, and to nouns with だ. For example, 彼は学生だそうです (Kare wa gakusei da sou desu) means 'I hear he is a student.'
Similar in meaning to 〜そうだ in some contexts ('seems like,' 'looks like'), but 〜みたい is more casual and can also mean 'like' or 'similar to.' It attaches directly to nouns, verbs (plain form), and adjectives. It's often used when expressing a resemblance rather than a direct observation leading to a prediction. For example, 子供みたい (kodomo mitai) means 'like a child' or 'childish.'
This means 'it seems that...' or 'it is typical of...' and implies that you have some evidence or information to back up your statement, but it's not a direct observation like そうだ. It attaches to nouns, verbs (plain form), and adjectives. For example, 彼らしい (kare rashii) means 'typical of him' or 'just like him.'
문법 패턴
관용어 및 표현
"おいしそうです"
It looks delicious.
このケーキはとてもおいしそうです。
neutral"雨が降りそうです"
It looks like it's going to rain.
空が暗いから、雨が降りそうです。
neutral"楽しそうです"
Looks fun.
みんなが笑っているから、楽しそうです。
neutral"眠そうです"
Looks sleepy.
彼は昨日よく寝てないから、眠そうです。
neutral"大変そうです"
Looks tough/difficult.
その仕事は大変そうです。
neutral"元気そうです"
Looks well/energetic.
久しぶりに会ったけど、彼は元気そうです。
neutral"簡単そうです"
Looks easy.
この問題は簡単そうです。
neutral"忙しそうです"
Looks busy.
彼女はいつも忙しそうです。
neutral"寒そうです"
Looks cold.
彼は薄着だから、寒そうです。
neutral"よさそうです"
Looks good.
この計画はよさそうです。
neutral혼동하기 쉬운
Many learners struggle with the transformation of い-adjectives before attaching そうだ. The final い is dropped.
This literally means 'it looks delicious' or 'it seems delicious.' It's based on a visual assessment, like seeing a beautifully presented dish.
このケーキは美味しそうです。 (Kono keeki wa oishisou desu.) - This cake looks delicious.
Similar to おいしい, the い from 楽しい (tanoshii) is dropped. Learners often forget to drop the い.
This means 'it looks fun' or 'they seem to be having fun.' You're making a judgment based on someone's actions or expressions.
子供たちは楽しそうに遊んでいます。 (Kodomotachi wa tanoshisou ni asondeimasu.) - The children are playing happily (they look like they're having fun).
This is a common mistake because 元気 (genki) is a な-adjective. Learners sometimes try to drop a non-existent い or add な before そうだ.
With な-adjectives, you just attach そうだ directly after the adjective stem. 元気そうです means 'looks healthy' or 'looks energetic.'
彼は元気そうです。 (Kare wa genki sou desu.) - He looks energetic/healthy.
Learners sometimes use this with nouns directly, or struggle with the verb stem form. It's the ます-stem of the verb.
When used with verbs, そうだ attaches to the ます-stem. 降ります (furimasu) becomes 降りそう (furisou). This means 'it looks like it's going to rain.' It's a prediction based on current observation.
空が暗いから、雨が降りそうです。 (Sora ga kurai kara, ame ga furisou desu.) - The sky is dark, so it looks like it's going to rain.
Another common い-adjective error where the い is not dropped, leading to 難しいそうです instead of 難しそうです.
This means 'it looks difficult.' You might say this when looking at a complex math problem or a challenging task.
この試験は難しそうです。 (Kono shiken wa muzukashisou desu.) - This exam looks difficult.
문장 패턴
Verb-ます stem + そうだ
雨が降りそうです。 (It looks like it's going to rain.)
い-adjective (remove い) + そうだ
このケーキは美味しそうです。 (This cake looks delicious.)
な-adjective + そうだ
彼は暇そうです。 (He looks free/available.)
Verb-ます stem + そうに + Verb
彼は悲しそうに話しました。 (He spoke sadly.)
い-adjective (remove い) + そうに + Verb
子供たちは楽しそうに遊んでいます。 (The children are playing happily.)
な-adjective + そうに + Verb
彼女は優しそうに微笑んだ。 (She smiled gently.)
Verb-ます stem + そうな + Noun
これは壊れそうな椅子です。 (This is a chair that looks like it will break.)
い-adjective (remove い) + そうな + Noun
あれは寒そうな日です。 (That looks like a cold day.)
어휘 가족
명사
동사
팁
Observational evidence
「〜そうだ」 expresses that something seems to be the case based on what you observe. Think of it as 'it looks like' or 'it sounds like'. You're making a judgment based on sensory information.
Distinguish from '伝聞のそうだ'
Be careful! There's another 'そうだ' (伝聞のそうだ) that means 'I heard that...' or 'they say that...'. That one attaches to the plain form of verbs/adjectives. This '〜そうだ' (様態のそうだ) is different.
Attaches to verb stems
For verbs, you attach 'そうだ' to the masu-stem. For example, 食べます (tabemasu) becomes 食べそうだ (tabesou da - looks like it will eat).
Attaches to い-adjectives
For い-adjectives, you drop the final い and add 'そうだ'. For example, 寒い (samui - cold) becomes 寒そうだ (samusou da - looks cold).
Attaches to な-adjectives
For な-adjectives, you just add 'そうだ' directly after the adjective. For example, 暇 (hima - free) becomes 暇そうだ (himasou da - looks like they're free).
Irregular for '良い'
The adjective 良い (ii - good) is irregular. It becomes 良さそうだ (yosasou da - looks good), not いそうだ.
Can be used with nouns (carefully)
While primarily for verbs and adjectives, you can sometimes see it with nouns, but it's more idiomatic expressions like 「〜そうだ」が付く (sou da ga tsuku - something seems to be attached/added). Stick to verbs and adjectives for now.
Can be negated
To negate '〜そうだ', you can use the negative form of the verb/adjective before adding '〜そうだ' (e.g., 食べなさそうだ - doesn't look like it will eat) or you can negate the 'そうだ' part with 〜そうにない (sou ni nai) for a stronger 'not likely to happen' nuance.
Common phrases
You'll often hear phrases like 雨が降りそうだ (ame ga furisou da - it looks like rain) or 美味しそうだ (oishisou da - it looks delicious). These are great to memorize.
Context is key
Always pay attention to the context when you encounter '〜そうだ'. It's essential to determine if it's based on observation or hearsay. The conjugation will tell you.
암기하기
기억법
Think of 'SOUnd DAngerous' when something 'looks like' it's going to be dangerous. Or, 'SO DAmn obvious' what you're observing.
시각적 연상
Imagine a detective with a magnifying glass, observing clues and saying 'It seems...' or 'Looks like...' based on what they see. Or, picture a chef looking at ingredients and saying 'Looks good!'
Word Web
챌린지
Look around you right now. What 'looks like' something? Describe 5 things you observe using 〜そうだ. For example, '私のコーヒーは熱そうだ' (My coffee looks hot).
어원
From the verb 'そう (sou)' meaning 'to appear' or 'to seem'.
원래 의미: The original meaning conveyed an impression or appearance based on sensory observation.
Japonic문화적 맥락
When Japanese speakers use '〜そうだ', they are directly conveying an observation about something. It's a very common and practical way to express assumptions or descriptions based on what one sees or hears, rather than something they've been told (for which a different grammar point, '〜という (to iu)' or '〜そうだ (sou da)' with a plain form verb, would be used).
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문When 〜そうだ is used with adjectives, it describes something that 'looks like' or 'seems' a certain way based on observation. For example, 美味しそうです (oishisou desu) means 'It looks delicious.' When used with verbs, it indicates that something 'looks like it's about to happen' or 'seems like it will happen.' For example, 雨が降りそうです (ame ga furisou desu) means 'It looks like it's going to rain.'
For i-adjectives, you drop the final い (i) and add そうだ (sou da). For example, 美味しい (oishii) becomes 美味しそうだ (oishisou da). For na-adjectives, you simply add そうだ (sou da) after the adjective. For example, 元気 (genki) becomes 元気そうだ (genki sou da).
Yes, it can. For example, if you want to say 'It doesn't look delicious,' you can say 美味しくなさそうです (oishikunasasou desu). For verbs, you would use the negative plain form before そうだ. For example, 'It doesn't look like it will rain' would be 雨が降らなさそうです (ame ga furanasasou desu).
〜そうだ (sou da) is used when you make a judgment based on direct observation. You see something and comment on how it appears. 〜らしい (rashii) is used when you're stating something that seems to be true based on indirect information or what you've heard. For example, 彼は金持ちそうだ (kare wa kanemochi sou da) means 'He looks rich' (you see his expensive car, etc.). 彼は金持ちらしい (kare wa kanemochi rashii) means 'He seems rich' (you heard it from someone, or read it).
Yes, there's one common irregularity: the i-adjective 良い (ii) or 良い (yoi) becomes 良さそうだ (yosasou da), not いいそうだ. Keep that in mind!
No, 〜そうだ (sou da) is primarily used with verbs and adjectives. If you want to say something 'looks like a noun,' you'd typically use 〜みたいだ (mitai da) or 〜のようだ (no you da). For example, 'It looks like a ghost' would be お化けみたいだ (obake mitai da).
〜そうだ (sou da) is used for conclusions based on observable evidence. 〜でしょう (deshou) is used for probability or making an assumption, often with less direct evidence or more as a way to seek agreement. For example, 彼は疲れているそうだ (kare wa tsukarete iru sou da) means 'He looks tired' (you see him yawning). 彼は疲れているでしょう (kare wa tsukarete iru deshou) means 'He's probably tired, right?'
While 〜そうだ itself doesn't directly make a request, you can use it to describe something that 'looks good' or 'seems possible' and then add a polite suggestion. For example, if a restaurant looks good, you could say, このレストラン、美味しそうですね。行ってみませんか？ (Kono resutoran, oishisou desu ne. Itte mimasen ka?) - 'This restaurant looks delicious, doesn't it? Shall we try going?'
No, that's a different 〜そうだ (sou da)! The 〜そうだ we're discussing here is an auxiliary adjective suffix for 'it seems' or 'looks like.' The 〜そうだ used for reporting what someone else said comes after a plain form verb/adjective/noun and means 'I heard that...' or 'It is said that...'. For example, 田中さんは明日来ないそうだ (Tanaka-san wa ashita konai sou da) means 'I heard Mr. Tanaka isn't coming tomorrow.'
Absolutely! Some very common ones include: 楽しそう (tanoshisou) - 'looks fun,' 眠そう (nemusou) - 'looks sleepy,' 寒そう (samusou) - 'looks cold,' 大変そう (taihen sou) - 'looks tough/difficult,' and 嬉しそう (ureshisou) - 'looks happy.' You'll hear these all the time!
셀프 테스트 168 질문
このケーキ、とてもおいし___。
The auxiliary 'そう' (sou) attaches to the stem of an adjective to express 'it seems' or 'looks like'. In this case, 'おいしい' (oishii) becomes 'おいしそう' (oishisou).
雨が降___。
When 'そう' (sou) is used with verbs, it attaches to the masu-stem of the verb. '降ります' (furimasu) becomes '降りそう' (furisou).
彼女は元気___。
For な-adjectives like '元気' (genki), 'そう' (sou) attaches directly to the adjective, dropping the 'な' (na). '元気な' (genkina) becomes '元気そう' (genkisou).
このカバンは軽___。
'軽い' (karui) is an い-adjective. To use 'そう' (sou), drop the final 'い' (i) and add 'そう' (sou), making it '軽そう' (karusou).
彼は忙し___。
'忙しい' (isogashii) is an い-adjective. Drop the 'い' (i) and add 'そう' (sou) to express 'he looks busy' or 'it seems he is busy'.
このコーヒーは熱___。
'熱い' (atsui) is an い-adjective meaning hot. Drop the final 'い' (i) and add 'そう' (sou) to say 'it looks hot'.
Choose the correct particle: あの人は元気___そうです。
When using そうだ with an i-adjective, you drop the い and add そうだ. If it's a na-adjective or noun, you add だそうだ. Genki (元気) is a na-adjective.
Which sentence means 'It looks like it will rain'?
To say 'it looks like' with a verb, you use the ます-stem of the verb + そうだ. 降る (furu - to rain) becomes 降り (furi) + そうだ.
How do you say 'This cake looks delicious'?
For i-adjectives like 美味しい (oishii - delicious), you drop the final い and add そうだ. So, 美味しい becomes 美味しそうだ.
The sentence '彼は疲れているそうです' means 'He is tired, they say.'
そうです can also mean 'I heard' or 'they say' when attached to the plain form of a verb or adjective. In this case, it indicates hearsay.
You can use そうだ directly after a noun to mean 'looks like'.
When そうだ means 'looks like' based on observation, you cannot directly attach it to a noun. You would use のようだ or みたいだ for that meaning with a noun. For example, '医者のようだ' (looks like a doctor).
The sentence 'この本は面白そうだ' means 'This book looks interesting'.
For i-adjectives, drop the final い and add そうだ to express 'looks like' based on observation. 面白い (omoshiroi - interesting) becomes 面白そうだ.
It looks like rain.
This cake looks delicious.
He looks sleepy.
Read this aloud:
この本はおもしろそうです。
Focus: おもしろそうです (omoshiroso desu)
당신의 답변:
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Read this aloud:
このえいがはおもしろそうです。
Focus: おもしろそうです (omoshiroso desu)
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼女は忙しそうです。
Focus: いそがしそうです (isogashiso desu)
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
You see a dark sky with many clouds. Write a short sentence in Japanese to describe what the weather looks like, using '〜そうだ'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
雨が降りそうです。
You see a friend looking very happy. Write a short sentence in Japanese to describe how they look, using '〜そうだ'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼は楽しそうです。
You are looking at a delicious-looking cake. Write a short sentence in Japanese to say it looks delicious, using '〜そうだ'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
おいしそうです。
Cさんは何と言っていますか？ (What is C saying?)
Read this passage:
A: あの人、元気がないですね。 B: ええ、病気のようです。 C: でも、もうすぐ良くなりそうです。
Cさんは何と言っていますか？ (What is C saying?)
C says 'もうすぐ良くなりそうです' which means 'It looks like he will get better soon'.
C says 'もうすぐ良くなりそうです' which means 'It looks like he will get better soon'.
この人は何について話していますか？ (What is this person talking about?)
Read this passage:
この食べ物は辛そうです。でも、食べてみたいです。
この人は何について話していますか？ (What is this person talking about?)
The passage says 'この食べ物は辛そうです' which means 'This food looks spicy'.
The passage says 'この食べ物は辛そうです' which means 'This food looks spicy'.
なぜ傘を持っていきますか？ (Why are they taking an umbrella?)
Read this passage:
空が暗いです。雨が降りそうです。傘を持っていきましょう。
なぜ傘を持っていきますか？ (Why are they taking an umbrella?)
The passage states '雨が降りそうです' which means 'It looks like it's going to rain'.
The passage states '雨が降りそうです' which means 'It looks like it's going to rain'.
The particles 'が' marks the subject. '降り' is the 連用形 (stem form) of the verb '降る' (to fall), which combines with 'そうだ' to mean 'it looks like'.
For い-adjectives like 'おいしい', the final 'い' is dropped before adding 'そうだ'. 'この' means 'this', 'ケーキ' is 'cake', and 'は' is the topic marker.
For な-adjectives like '元気', no change is needed before adding 'そうだ'. '彼' means 'he', and 'は' is the topic marker.
このケーキ、とてもおいし___。
To say 'it looks delicious' based on observation, you attach そう to the stem of the adjective. おいしい becomes おいし.
あの人は元気___。
元気 (genki - healthy/energetic) is a な-adjective. For な-adjectives, you attach そうだ directly after the adjective, but often the だ is omitted in informal speech or when followed by other particles.
今にも雨が降り___。
For verbs, you attach そう to the ます-stem. 降ります (furimasu - to fall/rain) becomes 降りそう (furi-sou - looks like it will rain).
この仕事は簡単___。
簡単 (kantan - simple/easy) is a な-adjective. You attach そうだ (or そうです in polite form) directly after the adjective.
彼は忙し___。
忙しい (isogashii - busy) is an い-adjective. You remove the い and add そうです to say 'looks busy'.
このりんごは新鮮___。
新鮮 (shinsen - fresh) is a な-adjective. You attach そうだ (or そうです in polite form) directly after the adjective.
Choose the correct sentence using 〜そうだ to express 'it looks like it will rain.'
〜そうだ attaches to the ます stem of verbs (or plain form for some adjectives/nouns). For 'to rain' (降る), the ます stem is 降り. So, 降りそうだ is correct.
Which sentence correctly uses 〜そうだ to say 'that cake looks delicious'?
For い-adjectives, drop the final い and add そうだ. Delicious (美味しい) becomes 美味しそうだ.
How would you say 'he looks busy' using 〜そうだ?
Similar to other い-adjectives, drop the い from 忙しい (busy) and add そうだ.
The sentence 'この本は面白そうだ。' means 'This book seems interesting.'
面白そうだ (面白-い + そうだ) correctly conveys 'seems interesting' based on observation.
You can say '彼女は元気そうだ。' to mean 'She looks healthy/energetic.'
元気 (な-adjective) uses the stem + そうだ, so 元気そうだ is correct for 'looks healthy/energetic'.
The phrase '寒いそうだ' is the correct way to say 'it looks cold.'
For い-adjectives like 寒い (cold), you drop the い and add そうだ, making it 寒そうだ, not 寒いそうだ.
What does the speaker observe about the weather?
What is the speaker's impression of the cake?
How does the speaker perceive the person's state?
Read this aloud:
あの人は元気そうだ。
Focus: げんきそう
당신의 답변:
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Read this aloud:
このかばんは重そうだ。
Focus: おもそう
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
テストは難しそうだ。
Focus: むずかしそう
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'It looks like it's going to rain.' The 'そうだ' auxiliary follows the verb stem '降り' (furi) from '降る' (furu - to fall/rain) to express an appearance based on observation.
This sentence means 'This cake looks delicious.' 'そうだ' follows the 'i' adjective stem 'おいし' (oishi) from 'おいしい' (oishii - delicious) to convey a visual impression.
This sentence means 'She looks well/energetic.' For 'na' adjectives like '元気' (genki - healthy/energetic), 'そうだ' is attached directly after dropping the 'na'.
空を見たら雨が___。
To say 'it looks like it will rain', we use the stem of the verb '降る' (to fall) which is '降り' and add 'そうだ'.
このケーキ、とても___。
For い-adjectives like '美味しい' (delicious), we drop the final 'い' and add 'そうだ' to say 'it looks delicious'.
彼はいつも忙し___。
For な-adjectives like '忙しい' (busy), we use the stem '忙し' and add 'そうだ' to say 'he always looks busy'.
この問題は簡単___。
For nouns or adjectives, 'そうだ' is used directly after the word to indicate 'it looks like' or 'it seems'.
彼女は悲し___。
For い-adjectives, remove the 'い' and add 'そうだ' to express 'looks like'. So '悲しい' becomes '悲しそうだ'.
新しいレストランは人気が___。
For verbs, use the stem form before 'そうだ'. The stem of 'ある' (to be/exist) is 'あり'.
Choose the correct sentence using 〜そうだ to express 'it looks like it will rain.'
〜そうだ attaches to the stem of a verb (連用形). The stem of 降る (to fall/rain) is 降り.
Which sentence correctly expresses 'That cake looks delicious' using 〜そうだ?
For い-adjectives, drop the い and add 〜そうだ. 美味しい becomes 美味しそうだ.
How would you say 'He looks busy' using 〜そうだ?
The correct form for い-adjectives like 忙しい is to drop the い and add 〜そうだ.
The sentence 'この本は面白そうだ' means 'This book seems interesting.'
面白そうだ is the correct form for an い-adjective (面白い) to express 'seems/looks like' based on observation.
You can use 〜そうだ with nouns directly, for example, '学生そうだ' for 'looks like a student.'
〜そうだ does not attach directly to nouns to express 'looks like.' You would typically use 〜のようだ or 〜らしい for that.
When attaching 〜そうだ to a verb, you always use the dictionary form.
When attaching 〜そうだ to a verb to express 'looks like/seems like (based on observation),' you attach it to the verb stem (連用形), not the dictionary form.
What does the speaker think about the rain?
What is the speaker observing about him?
What is the speaker's impression of the cake?
Read this aloud:
この仕事は難しそうだ。
Focus: むずかしそうだ
당신의 답변:
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Read this aloud:
彼女は元気そうだ。
Focus: げんきそうだ
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
その映画は面白そうだ。
Focus: おもしろそうだ
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
You see your friend shivering. Complete the sentence: 友達は___そうだ。
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
友達は寒そうだ。
You are looking at a delicious-looking cake. Complete the sentence: このケーキは___そうだ。
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
このケーキはおいしそうだ。
You see a student struggling with a difficult math problem. Complete the sentence: その学生は___そうだ。
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
その学生は難しそうだ。
田中さんはどんな様子ですか？
Read this passage:
A: 田中さん、今日はお疲れ様でした。B: はい、でもこの仕事はまだ終わりませんね。A: そうですね。田中さんはとても忙しそうだ。手伝いましょうか？
田中さんはどんな様子ですか？
Aが「田中さんはとても忙しそうだ」と言っているからです。
Aが「田中さんはとても忙しそうだ」と言っているからです。
猫はどんな様子に見えますか？
Read this passage:
隣の家の猫はいつも窓際で寝ています。今日は窓の外を見て、何かを探しているようです。お腹が空いているのか、誰か来ないか待っているのか、少し寂しそうに見えます。
猫はどんな様子に見えますか？
文章の最後に「少し寂しそうに見えます」と書かれています。
文章の最後に「少し寂しそうに見えます」と書かれています。
男の子の友達はなぜ安心しましたか？
Read this passage:
公園で子供たちが遊んでいます。一人の男の子は転んでしまいましたが、すぐに立ち上がってまた走り始めました。彼の友達は心配そうに見ていましたが、男の子が大丈夫そうだったので安心しました。
男の子の友達はなぜ安心しましたか？
「男の子が大丈夫そうだったので安心しました」と書かれているからです。
「男の子が大丈夫そうだったので安心しました」と書かれているからです。
The sentence means 'It looks like it will rain.' The verb '降る' (furu - to fall/rain) combines with 'そうです' (sou desu) to indicate a visible likelihood.
This sentence means 'He looks busy.' The i-adjective '忙しい' (isogashii - busy) drops its final 'い' before adding 'そうです'.
The sentence translates to 'This cake looks delicious.' The i-adjective '美味しい' (oishii - delicious) drops its final 'い' when combined with 'そうです'.
このケーキはとても美味し___ですね。
「〜そうだ」は直接的な観察に基づいた推測を表します。この文脈では、ケーキを見て美味しそうだと感じたことを伝えています。
空が暗くなってきた。雨が降___。
空が暗いという視覚的な情報から、雨が降りそうだと予測しているため、「〜そうだ」が適切です。
彼女はいつも忙し___ですが、今日は少し時間があるようです。
彼女の普段の様子（忙しい）を観察して、「忙しそうだ」と推測しています。
この料理は辛___。一口食べてみてください。
見た目や匂いなどから、料理が辛いと推測しているため、「〜そうだ」が適切です。
彼は新しい仕事が楽し___。毎日笑顔だ。
「毎日笑顔だ」という直接的な観察から、彼が新しい仕事を楽しんでいると推測できます。
この建物は古くて、今にも崩れ___。
建物の状態を視覚的に見て、「崩れそうだ」と推測しているため、「〜そうだ」が適切です。
Choose the most appropriate sentence using 「〜そうだ」 to describe a delicious-looking cake.
「〜そうだ」 is used to express that something 'looks like' or 'seems' delicious based on observation. The other options express certainty, opinion, or conjecture.
A friend tells you they've been studying hard for an exam. How would you express that they 'look tired'?
When attaching 「〜そうだ」 to an i-adjective stem (疲れる becomes 疲れて), it expresses a visual observation. 「疲れているそうです」 would mean 'I heard they are tired'.
You see dark clouds gathering. How would you say 'It looks like it's going to rain'?
「〜そうだ」 is attached to the ます-stem of a verb (降ります becomes 降り) to indicate a prediction or appearance based on observation. 「雨が降るそうです」 means 'I heard it will rain'.
「このリンゴは新鮮そうです。」 means 'This apple looks fresh.'
「新鮮そう」 (しんせんそう) correctly uses 「〜そうだ」 with a na-adjective (新鮮な) to express that something 'looks fresh' based on observation.
You can use 「〜そうだ」 with a past tense verb like 「食べたそうだ」 to mean 'It looks like someone ate it.'
When 「〜そうだ」 is attached to a verb in the past tense (食べた), it typically means 'I heard that someone ate it', conveying reported information, not visual observation. For visual observation of a past event, you would use a different construction, or phrase it in the present based on the visible results.
If someone is very quiet, you could say 「元気じゃなさそうです。」 to mean 'They don't seem well.'
「元気じゃなさそうです」 (げんきじゃなさそうです) is a correct negative form using 「〜そうだ」 with a na-adjective (元気な) to express that someone 'doesn't seem well' based on their appearance or demeanor.
Listen for why Tanaka-san seems unwell.
Listen for tomorrow's weather forecast.
Listen for the speaker's opinion about the restaurant food.
Read this aloud:
あの人はとても忙しそうです。
Focus: 忙しそうです (isogashi-sou desu)
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
このケーキは美味しそうですね。
Focus: 美味しそう (oishi-sou)
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼女は新しい仕事に満足しているそうです。
Focus: 満足しているそうです (manzoku shiteiru sou desu)
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Imagine you're looking at the sky. Describe what the weather looks like using '〜そうだ'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
空が暗いから、雨が降りそうだね。でも、向こうは明るいから、晴れにもなりそうだ。
You see someone struggling with a heavy box. Describe their situation using '〜そうだ'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
あの人、重そうな箱を運んでいるね。今にも倒れそうだ。手伝ってあげた方がいいかもしれない。
You are observing a dish in a restaurant. Describe how it looks like it tastes using '〜そうだ'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
このラーメン、真っ赤で見るからに辛そうだね。でも、隣のデザートは甘そうで美味しそうだ。
Aさんは田中さんがどうだと言っていますか？
Read this passage:
A: 田中さん、今日はずいぶん疲れているみたいですね。 B: ええ、昨日ほとんど寝てないんですよ。会議中も眠くて眠くて… A: 顔色も悪いし、今にも倒れそうですよ。早く帰って休んだ方がいいですよ。
Aさんは田中さんがどうだと言っていますか？
Aさんが「今にも倒れそうですよ」と言っていることから、田中さんが眠くて疲れていると判断できます。
Aさんが「今にも倒れそうですよ」と言っていることから、田中さんが眠くて疲れていると判断できます。
筆者は新しいカフェについてどのように感じていますか？
Read this passage:
最近、新しいカフェができたらしい。外から見ると、とてもおしゃれで、いつも人がたくさん入っている。メニューも美味しそうなものが多そうで、早く行ってみたい。
筆者は新しいカフェについてどのように感じていますか？
「早く行ってみたい」という記述から、筆者が新しいカフェに興味を持っていることがわかります。
「早く行ってみたい」という記述から、筆者が新しいカフェに興味を持っていることがわかります。
このプロジェクトはどのような状況だと書かれていますか？
Read this passage:
このプロジェクトはとても難しそうだ。予算も少ないし、時間もあまりない。成功させるには、みんなで協力して頑張るしかなさそうだ。
このプロジェクトはどのような状況だと書かれていますか？
「とても難しそうだ」「成功させるには、みんなで協力して頑張るしかなさそうだ」という記述から、プロジェクトの成功が難しい状況だと読み取れます。
「とても難しそうだ」「成功させるには、みんなで協力して頑張るしかなさそうだ」という記述から、プロジェクトの成功が難しい状況だと読み取れます。
空は雲で覆われ、今にも雨が___。
「〜そうだ」は動詞の連用形に接続し、見た目から判断される状況を表します。ここでは「雨が降る」の連用形「降り」に接続します。
この料理、見た目はあまり良くないけど、匂いはとても___。
「〜そうだ」は形容詞の語幹に接続し、見た目から判断される状態を表します。「美味しい」の語幹「美味し」に接続します。
彼は最近、仕事が忙しくて、とても___。
「〜そうだ」は動詞の連用形に接続します。「疲れる」の連用形「疲れ」に接続します。
このケーキ、一口食べたら、もう止まらなく___。
「〜そうだ」は動詞の連用形に接続します。「なる」の連用形「なり」に接続します。
彼女の顔は、何か言いたげに___。
「〜そうだ」は動詞の連用形に接続します。「見える」の連用形「見え」に接続します。
この問題は、もっと時間をかけないと___。
「〜そうだ」は否定形にも接続でき、「解決しない」の「しない」の「しな」に「そう」がつき、「解決しなさそうだ」となります。
Choose the most appropriate sentence using 「〜そうだ」 to describe a delicious-looking cake.
「おいしそうだ」 (oishisou da) means 'looks delicious,' based on observation. The other options either state a fact, past fact, or a negative fact.
Which sentence correctly uses 「〜そうだ」 to express that it looks like it will rain soon?
「降りそうだ」 (furisou da) means 'looks like it will rain,' indicating an observation about an impending event. The other options are simply statements of fact in different tenses.
A friend looks tired. How would you express this using 「〜そうだ」?
「疲れていそうだ」 (tsukareteisou da) means 'looks tired,' based on your observation of your friend. The other options are direct statements of fact about their current or past state.
「この本は面白そうだ」 means 'This book is interesting' based on reading it.
「面白そうだ」 (omoshirosou da) means 'looks interesting' or 'seems interesting,' implying an observation (e.g., from the cover or a quick glance), not a conclusion after reading.
You can use 「〜そうだ」 with verbs to indicate that something is about to happen.
Yes, for example, 「雨が降りそうだ」 (ame ga furisou da) means 'it looks like it's going to rain soon,' showing an impending action.
「あの人は頭が良さそうだ」 implies you know for sure that person is smart.
「頭が良さそうだ」 (atama ga yosasou da) means 'looks smart' or 'seems smart,' indicating an impression or observation, not a confirmed fact.
According to recent news, the economic situation seems to be improving.
Judging from the way she talks, it seems she's holding a significant secret.
From what I see of this project's progress, it looks like it will be completed on schedule.
Read this aloud:
明日の会議は長引きそうだ。
Focus: ながびきそうだ
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼の様子からすると、かなり疲れているそうだ。
Focus: つかれているそうだ
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
この新しいシステムは、導入が少し複雑そうだ。
Focus: ふくざつそうだ
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
You are observing a new restaurant that just opened. Write a short paragraph describing what it 'seems like' based on your observations, using '〜そうだ' at least twice. Focus on the atmosphere, food, or customer reactions.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
この新しいレストランはいつも人で賑わっているから、とても人気がありそうだ。料理も美味しそうだし、みんな楽しそうに食事をしている。It seems very popular because this new restaurant is always crowded. The food looks delicious, and everyone seems to be enjoying their meal.
Imagine you are watching a weather report. Describe what the weather 'looks like' it will be tomorrow in your region, using '〜そうだ' at least twice. Mention potential temperature, precipitation, or sky conditions.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
明日は一日中、よく晴れそうだ。気温も今日より暖かくなりそうで、過ごしやすい一日になりそうだ。It looks like it will be sunny all day tomorrow. The temperature also seems to be warmer than today, so it looks like it will be a comfortable day.
You are observing a friend who is preparing for an important exam. Write a short note to another friend describing how your first friend 'seems to be' doing, based on their actions or expressions. Use '〜そうだ' at least twice.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼、最近ずっと勉強しているから、かなり疲れていそうだね。でも、自信がありそうだから、きっと大丈夫だよ。He seems quite tired because he's been studying constantly lately. But he seems confident, so I'm sure he'll be fine.
この文から、猫について何が言えますか？
Read this passage:
近所の猫が毎日うちの庭に来て魚を欲しそうに鳴いている。とてもお腹が空いているそうだ。私はいつも少しだけ餌をあげている。
この文から、猫について何が言えますか？
「とてもお腹が空いているそうだ」という表現から、猫が空腹であることが読み取れます。
「とてもお腹が空いているそうだ」という表現から、猫が空腹であることが読み取れます。
Bさんはこのケーキについてどう思っていますか？
Read this passage:
A: 「このケーキ、すごく美味しそうだね！どこで買ったの？」 B: 「これは友達の手作りだよ。見た目もきれいだし、食べるのがもったいないくらいだ。」
Bさんはこのケーキについてどう思っていますか？
「見た目もきれいだし、食べるのがもったいないくらいだ」というBさんの言葉から、ケーキの見た目の美しさだけでなく、その品質についても良い評価をしていることがわかります。
「見た目もきれいだし、食べるのがもったいないくらいだ」というBさんの言葉から、ケーキの見た目の美しさだけでなく、その品質についても良い評価をしていることがわかります。
筆者は彼について最も心配していることは何ですか？
Read this passage:
最近、彼の仕事がとても忙しそうだ。毎晩遅くまで残業しているし、週末も会社に行っているらしい。体調を崩さないか心配だ。
筆者は彼について最も心配していることは何ですか？
文の最後の「体調を崩さないか心配だ」という部分が、筆者の主な心配事を直接示しています。
文の最後の「体調を崩さないか心配だ」という部分が、筆者の主な心配事を直接示しています。
The correct order forms the sentence 'It seems he is tired today.'
The correct order forms the sentence 'It looks like it's going to rain, so you'd better take an umbrella.'
The correct order forms the sentence 'This cake looks delicious, doesn't it?'
このレポート、A1で書かれているから、専門家には_____。
A1レベルのレポートなので、専門家にとっては『易しそうだ』と推測できます。他の選択肢は文脈に合いません。
彼の理論は斬新で、既存の枠組みを根底から覆す可能性が_____。
斬新で既存の枠組みを覆す可能性がある場合、『ありそうだ』が最も適切です。単に『高そうだ』でも意味は通じますが、より自然なのは『可能性がありそうだ』です。
この複雑な問題を解決するには、多角的な視点からアプローチする_____。
複雑な問題に対しては多角的な視点でのアプローチが『必要そうだ』と推測するのが自然です。他の選択肢は意味が通りません。
彼の発言は真意を測りかねる部分が多く、何か裏があり_____。
真意を測りかねる発言には『裏がありそうだ』と推測するのが自然です。『そうもない』や『そうにない』は否定的な推測を表すため、文脈に合いません。
このプロジェクトの最終段階は、予想以上に時間と労力が_____。
予想以上に時間と労力がかかると考えられるため、『かかりそうだ』が適切です。
彼の今回の発表は、学術界に大きなインパクトを及ぼし_____。
大きなインパクトを及ぼすと推測されるため、『そうだ』が適切です。
空は灰色で、今にも雨が___。
「〜そうだ」は観察に基づいた様態を表し、「今にも」という表現と合わせて「雨が降りそうだ」が自然な流れとなります。
このケーキはとても美味し___、一口食べてみたい。
視覚情報から「美味しそう」という推測が成り立つため、「そうだ」が適切です。
彼は疲れて___、少し休んだ方がいいだろう。
「〜ている」の状態動詞に接続する場合、い形容詞と同じ活用をします。ここでは「疲れている」に「そうだ」が付いて「疲れているそうだ」となります。短縮形で「疲れてそうだ」も使われますが、より丁寧な表現として「疲れているそうだ」が適切です。
「この本は面白そうだ」は、実際に本を読んで面白いと感じたという意味である。
「面白そうだ」は、まだ読んでいないが、見た目や評判などから『面白いだろう』と推測しているという意味です。
「あの人は悲しそうだ」は、その人の様子から悲しいと判断したことを表す。
「〜そうだ」は、観察に基づく判断や推測を表すため、この文は適切です。
「明日は雨が降るそうだ」は、天気予報で雨だと聞いたという意味である。
「〜そうだ」は、伝聞の「〜そうだ」と混同しやすいですが、この場合は様態の「〜そうだ」であり、空模様などから推測していることを表します。伝聞の場合は「〜だそうだ」となります。
Listen for the nuance of 'it seems' based on observation.
Pay attention to how 'looks like' is conveyed.
Note the use of そうだ to report what someone else said.
Read this aloud:
このケーキは美味しそうだ。This cake looks delicious.
Focus: 美味しそうだ (oishisō da)
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼は疲れているようだ。He seems tired.
Focus: 疲れているようだ (tsukarete iru yō da)
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
来週はもっと寒くなるそうだ。I heard it's going to be colder next week.
Focus: 寒くなるそうだ (samuku naru sō da)
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
You are observing a famous chef preparing a complex dish. Describe what you see using '〜そうだ' to convey your observations about the dish's appearance, texture, or even the chef's skill. Aim for 2-3 sentences.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
この料理は本当に美味しそうだ。ソースがとろっとしていて、お肉もとても柔らかそうだ。シェフの熟練の技が光っているようだ。
You are at a political debate. Describe your impression of one of the speakers using '〜そうだ' based on their body language, tone of voice, and choice of words. What kind of person do they seem to be?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼の話し方はとても自信がありそうだ。しかし、時折声が震えるところを見ると、少し緊張しているようにも見える。聴衆を説得しようと必死そうだ。
You are looking at a weather forecast for next week. Write a short paragraph using '〜そうだ' to describe what the weather looks like for the upcoming days, mentioning at least two different weather conditions.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
来週の天気予報を見ると、前半は晴れそうだ。しかし、週末には雨が降るそうだ。気温も少し下がりそうだ。
Bさんは新しいプロジェクトについてどう感じていますか？
Read this passage:
A: あの新しいプロジェクト、どう？ B: うーん、計画は完璧そうだけど、実行にはかなり課題がありそうだね。特に人員配置が難しそうだ。
Bさんは新しいプロジェクトについてどう感じていますか？
Bさんは「計画は完璧そう」と言いつつも、「実行にはかなり課題がありそうだ」と述べており、特に人員配置の難しさに言及しています。
Bさんは「計画は完璧そう」と言いつつも、「実行にはかなり課題がありそうだ」と述べており、特に人員配置の難しさに言及しています。
筆者は「彼女」についてどのように感じていますか？
Read this passage:
彼女はいつも冷静で、どんな状況でも取り乱すことがない。しかし、最近は少し元気がないように見える。何か悩みがあるそうだ。
筆者は「彼女」についてどのように感じていますか？
筆者は彼女がいつも冷静だと述べつつも、「最近は少し元気がないように見える。何か悩みがあるそうだ」と観察しています。
筆者は彼女がいつも冷静だと述べつつも、「最近は少し元気がないように見える。何か悩みがあるそうだ」と観察しています。
このソフトウェアについて筆者はどう考えていますか？
Read this passage:
このソフトウェアは最新のAI技術を使っているそうだ。操作は簡単そうだが、奥が深く、使いこなすには時間がかかりそうだ。
このソフトウェアについて筆者はどう考えていますか？
筆者はソフトウェアが最新のAI技術を使っていることに言及し、「操作は簡単そうだが、奥が深く、使いこなすには時間がかかりそうだ」と述べています。
筆者はソフトウェアが最新のAI技術を使っていることに言及し、「操作は簡単そうだが、奥が深く、使いこなすには時間がかかりそうだ」と述べています。
This sentence means 'He seems very tired today.' The auxiliary 'そうだ' (sou da) attaches to the dictionary form of verbs or i-adjectives, or the stem of na-adjectives and nouns, to express that something 'looks like' or 'seems like' based on observation.
This means 'This dish looks very delicious, doesn't it?' Here, 'そうだ' attaches to the stem of the i-adjective '美味しい' (oishii).
This translates to 'It looks like it's going to rain, so you'd better take an umbrella.' 'そうだ' is used here with the verb '降る' (furu) in its dictionary form.
/ 168 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
〜そうだ is used to express an observation about how something appears or seems.
- Use 〜そうだ for observations.
- Attach to verb/adjective stems.
- Means 'it seems' or 'looks like'.
Observational evidence
「〜そうだ」 expresses that something seems to be the case based on what you observe. Think of it as 'it looks like' or 'it sounds like'. You're making a judgment based on sensory information.
Distinguish from '伝聞のそうだ'
Be careful! There's another 'そうだ' (伝聞のそうだ) that means 'I heard that...' or 'they say that...'. That one attaches to the plain form of verbs/adjectives. This '〜そうだ' (様態のそうだ) is different.
Attaches to verb stems
For verbs, you attach 'そうだ' to the masu-stem. For example, 食べます (tabemasu) becomes 食べそうだ (tabesou da - looks like it will eat).
Attaches to い-adjectives
For い-adjectives, you drop the final い and add 'そうだ'. For example, 寒い (samui - cold) becomes 寒そうだ (samusou da - looks cold).
예시
今にも雨が降りそうだ。
관련 콘텐츠
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還暦
B160th birthday (celebration of completing a 60-year cycle).
〜くらい
B1About; approximately; to the extent that.
認め合う
B1To recognize each other's worth; to acknowledge.
知人
B1Acquaintance.
顔見知り
A2Acquaintance; someone you know by sight.
甘える
B1To be spoiled, to fawn; to behave like a pampered child.
活発な
B1Active; lively; vigorous.
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B1Adolescence; the period of transition from childhood to adulthood.
養子
B1Adopted child; a child taken into one's family by legal means.
養親
B2Adoptive parent.
