A is spoken by/heard from someone/something else
- A is spoken by/heard from someone/something else
- It looks A; it seems like A
11点
聞いた？レッドソックスは昨日勝ったそうだ！
Did you hear? (I heard) The Red Sox won yesterday!
17点
明日雨が降るそうです。
I heard that it's going to rain tomorrow.
6点
このパソコンは使いにくいそうですよ。
I heard that this computer is hard to use.
6点
電車が遅れているんだそうです。
I heard that the train is running late.
Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
Basic Examples:
落ちたそうだ ((I heard) he fell)
無理だそうだ ((I heard) it's impossible)
上手いそうだ ((I heard) it's delicious)
賑やかだそうだ ((I heard) it's lively)
Related Expressions
Where this grammar is found
Genki II (2nd Edition): Chapter 17
Nihongo So-Matome N4 (日本語総まとめ): 第４週 ２日目
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第１部 １９課
JLPT N4 / Intermediate: Grammar for Jumble Quizzes
Nihongo So-Matome N4 (日本語総まとめ): 第４週 ２日目
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第１部 １９課
JLPT N4 / Intermediate: Grammar for Jumble Quizzes
User notes
It looks A; it seems like A
- A is spoken by/heard from someone/something else
- It looks A; it seems like A
Join for free or Login to study this and other grammar in the lesson Verb Review I!
葡萄、おいしそう！
The grapes look delicious!
7点
外は雨が降りそうだから傘を持っていってね。
It looks like it will rain outside, so take an umbrella.
14点
う~ん。このレストランは高そうだから他のレストランに行こうか？
Hmm.. This restaurant seems expensive, so lets go to another place?
6点
あのケーキはすごくおいしそうなので、食べてみたい！
That cake looks really delicious! I want to try eating it!
5点
雪が降りそうですね。
Looks like it'll snow.
12点
この料理は辛そうだから、私は遠慮するよ。
This food looks spicy so I'll pass.
5点
カナダは日本よりもずっと寒そうです。
Looks like Canada is much, much colder than Japan.
Getting the sentences
These user sentences have been verified by a native speaker.
Natsu
0
2
Level: 5
(10 years ago)
★ 今から作業をする人の数が増えるそうだ。
It seems from now, the working people will increase.
0
2
Natsu
1
2
Level: 5
(10 years ago)
★ この間ＮＨＫテレビで洋食の番組を見た。日本人の手料理はおいしそうだ。
The other day I watched a western style food programme on NHK TV. Japanese home cooking looks delicious.
1
2
できるだけ
There are really two different そうだ constructions: one of them means "seems like", and one of them means "I heard that." For the hearsay one, you just add そうだ to the end of a sentence in plain form, almost as if you were quoting it:
おいしいそうだ
にぎやかだそうだ
雨が降るそうだ。
For the "looks like" grammar point, you have to use the stem of the final adjective or verb instead:
おいしそうだ
にぎやかそうだ
雨が降りそうだ。
Your current sentence says "I heard that Japanese home cooking is delicious" instead.
1
Level: 28
(10 years ago)
この間ＮＨＫテレビで洋食の番組を見た。日本人の手料理は美味しそうだ。
おいしいそうだ
にぎやかだそうだ
雨が降るそうだ。
For the "looks like" grammar point, you have to use the stem of the final adjective or verb instead:
おいしそうだ
にぎやかそうだ
雨が降りそうだ。
Your current sentence says "I heard that Japanese home cooking is delicious" instead.
1Loading user sentences...
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
Basic Examples:
降りそうだ (it looks like it'll rain)
Basic Examples:
古そうだ (it looks old)
Basic Examples:
新鮮そうだ (it looks fresh)
Basic Examples:
医者ではなさそうだ (it seems like he's not a doctor)
Notes
This is based on what the subject senses (sees, feels).
With nouns, it can only be used in the negative form (present or past tense).
With nouns, it can only be used in the negative form (present or past tense).
な, に, and だ
The three particles/modifies that follow そう are chosen based on what follows:
Basic Examples
そうな+Noun: おいしそうなケーキ (A delicious looking cake)
そうに+Verb: かれは元気そうに見える (He looks energetic)
そうだ。(end of sentence/clause) そのケーキはおいしそうだ (The cake looks delicious.)
Related Expressions
Where this grammar is found
User notes
20点
It's important to distinguish this from the other そうだ meaning A is spoken by/heard from someone/something else. Note that that そうだ often has a だ before it, unlike this one.
This そうだ is only used when the speaker has some visual or other sensory information that leads them to make the statement.
雨が降るそうだ。 I heard that it's going to rain. (off the weather report etc.)
雨が降りそうだ。 It looks like it's going to rain. (looking out the window at black clouds)
This そうだ is only used when the speaker has some visual or other sensory information that leads them to make the statement.
雨が降るそうだ。 I heard that it's going to rain. (off the weather report etc.)
雨が降りそうだ。 It looks like it's going to rain. (looking out the window at black clouds)
13 years ago
キバタン
- Level 1 Discussion about this grammar
Years Studied: ~5
Studying: Intermediate Japanese
Level: 5,
好 : 72
Studying: Intermediate Japanese
0点
11 years ago
Site admin
Level: 110, 好 : 6,629
Level: 110, 好 : 6,629
0点
11 years ago
Years Studied: ~5
Studying: Intermediate Japanese
Level: 5,
好 : 72
Studying: Intermediate Japanese
0点
11 years ago
Years Studied: 1 1/4
Studying: JLPT N2, 現在： JLPT N4~N3
Level: 9,
好 : 3
Studying: JLPT N2, 現在： JLPT N4~N3
1点
8 years ago
Site admin
Level: 110, 好 : 6,629
Level: 110, 好 : 6,629
0点
8 years ago
Years Studied: Too many
Studying: Random things
Level: 875,
好 : 668
Studying: Random things
1点
4 years ago (Edited 4 years ago.)
Site admin
Level: 110, 好 : 6,629
Level: 110, 好 : 6,629
2点
4 years ago