Expressing Hearsay with ~sou da (I heard that...)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use ~sou da after a plain-form verb to report information you heard from someone else.
- Attach to plain form: {雨|あめ}が{降|ふ}るそうです (I heard it will rain).
- Works with adjectives: {高|たか}いそうです (I heard it is expensive).
- Works with nouns: {学生|がくせい}だそうです (I heard they are a student).
Overview
~sou da is your tool for this. It lets you pass on information you heard elsewhere. You aren't saying it's true yourself. You are just the messenger. Think of it as a verbal shield. If the information is wrong, don't blame me! I just heard it. It’s perfect for office gossip or news. You’ll hear it on TV constantly. It’s a B1 staple for a reason. It adds layers to your conversations. You move from stating facts to sharing perspectives. It makes you sound much more natural. Let’s dive into how to use it properly.How This Grammar Works
sou da to the very end. It doesn't change the meaning of the original sentence. It just adds the 'I heard that' context. It’s like adding a source link to a tweet. You are telling your listener where the info came from. Usually, you heard it from the news, a friend, or read it online. If you want to specify the source, use ~ni yoru to. For example, 'According to the news...' is nyu-su ni yoru to. This makes you sound very professional and credible. It’s like a grammar traffic light. It tells people to proceed with caution because the info is secondhand.
Formation Pattern
sou da directly. Example: taberu becomes taberu sou da.
i. Add sou da. Example: oishii becomes oishii sou da. Don't drop that i!
da after the adjective. Then add sou da. Example: kirei becomes kirei da sou da.
da after the noun. Then add sou da. Example: ame becomes ame da sou da.
da to desu for formal situations. Use sou desu in job interviews or with teachers.
When To Use It
When Not To Use It
sou da, which is different. Don't use it for things you are absolutely certain of. If you are the one getting married, don't use sou da! That would be very weird. 'I heard I am getting married?' Your partner might be upset! Also, avoid it if the information is just a vague rumor. For thin rumors, ~rashii is often a better fit. Don't use it if you want to sound like the ultimate authority. Use it when you are the humble middleman of information.
Common Mistakes
i in I-adjectives. If you say oishisou, you mean 'It looks delicious.' If you say oishii sou, you mean 'I heard it's delicious.' Yes, even native speakers might trip if they speak too fast. Another classic error is forgetting da for nouns. Ame sou da sounds like 'rainy-ish.' You must say ame da sou da. Think of da as the glue for nouns and na-adjectives. Also, don't mix up the past tense. If the event happened in the past, put the past tense *before* sou da. Itta sou da means 'I heard they went.' It's easy to get these flipped. Stay sharp!Contrast With Similar Patterns
~rashii. It also means 'I heard.' But ~rashii is more like 'It seems like' or 'based on what I've seen/heard.' It’s softer and more based on your own judgment. ~sou da is a more direct report of information. Then there is ~tte. This is the informal, 'cool' version of ~sou da. You'll use ~tte with friends at a bar. Use ~sou da or ~sou desu in more structured environments. Finally, compare it to ~mitai da. ~mitai da is for visual evidence or comparisons. If someone is acting like a child, use mitai. If you heard they are a child, use sou da. They aren't interchangeable!Quick FAQ
Is it okay for formal writing?
Yes, just use ~sou desu or ~da sou de aru in essays.
Can I use it for my own feelings?
No. You don't 'hear' your own feelings from others.
What if I don't know the source?
You can still use it, but ~rashii might feel more natural.
Is the 'appearance' version different?
Yes! Appearance drops the i or na. Hearsay keeps the full plain form.
Does it work with negative sentences?
Absolutely. Konai sou da means 'I heard they aren't coming.'
Formation Table
| Type | Plain Form | Hearsay Form |
|---|---|---|
|
Verb
|
行く
|
行くそうです
|
|
i-Adj
|
高い
|
高いそうです
|
|
na-Adj
|
静かだ
|
静かだそうです
|
|
Noun
|
学生だ
|
学生だそうです
|
Meanings
Indicates that the speaker is relaying information obtained from a third party or external source.
Hearsay
Reporting information heard from others.
“{彼|かれ}は{来|く}るそうです。”
“{店|みせ}は{閉|し}まったそうです。”
News/Rumor
Relaying general information or news.
“{新|あたら}しい{映画|えいが}は{面白|おもしろ}いそうです。”
“{彼|かれ}は{結婚|けっこん}するそうです。”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Plain + そうです
|
行くそうです
|
|
Negative
|
Plain Neg + そうです
|
行かないそうです
|
|
Past
|
Plain Past + そうです
|
行ったそうです
|
|
Noun/na-Adj
|
Plain + だそうです
|
静かだそうです
|
Formality Spectrum
彼は来るそうです。 (Social)
彼は来るそうです。 (Social)
彼は来るそうだよ。 (Social)
来るってさ。 (Social)
Hearsay vs Appearance
Source
- 耳 Ears
Evidence
- 他人 Others
Examples by Level
{明日|あした}は{雨|あめ}だそうです。
I heard it will rain tomorrow.
{彼|かれ}は{忙|いそが}しいそうです。
I heard he is busy.
{新|あたら}しい{店|みせ}は{美味|おい}しいそうです。
I heard the new restaurant is delicious.
{試験|しけん}は{難|むずか}しいそうです。
I heard the exam is difficult.
{会議|かいぎ}は{延期|えんき}されるそうです。
I heard the meeting will be postponed.
{彼|かれ}は{来週|らいしゅう}{帰国|きこく}するそうです。
I heard he is returning to his country next week.
{新|あたら}しい{プロジェクト|ぷろじぇくと}は{成功|せいこう}したそうです。
I heard the new project was a success.
{彼|かれ}は{昇進|しょうしん}するそうです。
I heard he is getting a promotion.
{政府|せいふ}は{新|あたら}しい{法律|ほうりつ}を{導入|どうにゅう}するそうです。
I heard the government is introducing a new law.
{彼|かれ}は{辞職|じしょく}する{意向|いこう}だそうです。
I heard he intends to resign.
{専門家|せんもんか}によると、{経済|けいざい}は{回復|かいふく}するそうです。
According to experts, the economy will recover.
{彼|かれ}の{研究|けんきゅう}は{評価|ひょうか}されたそうです。
I heard his research has been evaluated.
Easily Confused
They look the same.
Common Mistakes
行きますそうです
行くそうです
雨そうです
雨だそうです
高いだそうです
高いそうです
忙しいだそうです
忙しいそうです
綺麗そうです
綺麗だそうです
食べたそうです
食べたそうです
行くそうでした
行くそうです
雨が降るそう
雨が降るそうです
彼が来るそうです
彼は来るそうです
Sentence Patterns
___ そうです。
Real World Usage
明日雨だって！
Plain Form is Key
Smart Tips
Use plain form.
Pronunciation
Intonation
Keep a flat pitch on 'sou'.
Neutral
行くそうです↑
Reporting facts.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Sou da sounds like 'So, that...' — 'So, that is what I heard!'
Visual Association
Imagine a telephone wire connecting two people. One person is whispering into the phone, and the other is saying 'Sou da!'
Rhyme
When you hear the news from a friend, add 'sou da' at the end.
Story
Tanaka-san told me it would rain. I told my friend, 'Ame ga furu sou da.' My friend nodded, understanding I heard it from Tanaka.
Word Web
Challenge
Ask three friends about their plans today and report them using '...sou desu'.
Cultural Notes
Using hearsay shows you are careful about facts.
Derived from 'sou' (appearance) + 'da' (copula).
Conversation Starters
What did you hear about the weather?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
彼が___そうです。
Score: /1
Practice Exercises
1 exercises彼が___そうです。
Score: /1
FAQ (1)
No, it's for reporting others.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Se dice que...
Spanish uses a prefix; Japanese uses a suffix.
On dit que...
French is a phrase; Japanese is a grammatical particle.
Soll...
German changes the verb; Japanese adds a suffix.
Yuqal anna...
Arabic is sentence-initial; Japanese is sentence-final.
～そうです
N/A
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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