Expressions of Conjecture, Hearsay, and Impression (そうだ・ようだ・らしい)

Pattern 〜そうだ (signs that something is about to happen)

〜そうだ with the meaning of signs that something is about to happen (様態, yōtai) is attached to the verb stem (連用形, ren'yōkei), that is, the 「ます」 form without 「ます」. This pattern states that an event appears to be about to happen immediately, based on the situation seen directly at that moment. For example, 「降(ふ)りそうだ(ふりそうだ, it looks like it is going to rain)」 comes from 「降る(ふる, to fall, of rain)」.

The basis for this judgment is often a visual sign, such as a dark sky or thick clouds. The words 「今(いま)にも(いまにも, any moment now)」 and 「もうすぐ(soon)」 are often used with this pattern to emphasize that the event is close.

• 今(いま)にも(いまにも, any moment now) — marks an event that is about to happen. Example: このコップは今にも割(わ)れそうだ。
• 〜そうにない — it appears that something will not happen. This form is the opposite of the visible signs.
• 〜そうだ (様態) differs from 〜そうだ (伝聞). The 様態 form attaches to the verb stem (降り), while the 伝聞 form attaches to the plain form (降る).
• 〜らしい, 〜ようだ, 〜はずだ also express conjecture, but each has a different basis. 〜らしい is based on indirect evidence or information, 〜ようだ on the speaker's observation or impression, and 〜はずだ on logical calculation or rules. Do not confuse them with 〜そうだ, which expresses direct signs.

Pattern 〜そうだ (hearsay, information from others)

〜そうだ with the meaning of news or information from others (伝聞, dengar-dengar, hearsay) is attached to the plain form (普通形, futsūkei). For verbs, the plain form can be the dictionary form, the 「ている」 form, the past 「た」 form, or the negative 「ない」 form. For nouns and na-adjectives, 「だ」 is used before 「そうだ」, while i-adjectives attach directly.

This pattern usually appears with a source of information, such as 「ニュースによると(according to the news)」, 「天気予報によると(according to the weather forecast)」, or 「田中さんから聞いた話です(a story I heard from 田中さん)」.

• 普通形(ふつうけい, plain form) + そうだ — Example: 来週、会議が延期されるそうだ。
• 〜そうです — polite form of 〜そうだ. Example: 店は来月閉まるそうです。
• 〜ている + そうだ — conveys a situation that is in progress, according to what has been reported. Example: 台風が近づいているそうだ。
• 〜ようです (conjecture based on evidence) and 〜はずです (estimate based on logic) are not used to convey the source of information.
• A 伝聞 sentence with 「そうです」 can also attach directly to plain verb forms, for example 「あるそうです」 or 「できるそうだ」.
• 〜つもりです expresses the speaker's intention, not news from others.

Pola 〜ような / 〜ようだ

〜ようだ expresses the speaker's guess or judgment based on direct observation, evidence, or an impression. It can be translated as 'it seems' or 'like'. The forms used are: 普通形 (verb, i-adjective) + ようだ, 〜な + ようだ, or 名詞 + の + ようだ. In the polite form it becomes 〜ようです.

This pattern is often used together with markers such as 「どうやら(apparently)」 or with direct visual evidence. The example 「窓の外が真っ白だ。雪が降っているようだ(it seems it is snowing)」 shows a guess based on visible evidence.

• 〜ような + 名詞 — the form that modifies a noun. Example: まるで夢のような話だ。
• 〜ようにする / 〜ようにしている — expresses effort made so that something happens, or a habit that is deliberately pursued. It is usually used with dictionary form verbs or the ない form. Example: 毎朝、早く起きるようにしている。
• 〜ようだ and 〜そうだ (伝聞) are different: 〜ようだ comes from the speaker's own judgment, while 〜そうだ comes from someone else's information.
• 〜ようだ and 〜らしい both express a guess, but 〜らしい is stronger on indirect evidence or hearsay, whereas 〜ようだ is stronger on the speaker's own observation.

Pola 〜そうだ (penilaian dari penampilan)

〜そうだ with the meaning of judgment from appearance (様態) can also be attached to adjectives. With i-adjectives, the い is dropped and 〜そう is added, for example 「おいしい」 becomes 「おいしそう(looks delicious)」. With na-adjectives, 〜そう is attached directly to the adjective stem.

Exceptions to remember: 「いい(good)」 becomes 「よさそう(looks good)」, and 「ない」 becomes 「なさそう(looks like there is none)」. As with verbs, this negative form also does not use 「ない」 to form 「そう」.