～そうだ
〜sou da
JLPT N4 Neutral
Formation
Verb-ますstem + そうだ, い-Adjective (without い) + そうだ, な-Adjective + そうだ
Express the appearance, seeming, or feeling of something; 'looks like', 'seems', 'appears'.
When to use
ます stem + そうだ: looks like, judged from what you see (おいしそう).
Explanation
The ～そうだ grammar point is used to describe the appearance or feeling of something based on what is observed or inferred. It can be translated as 'looks like', 'seems', or 'appears' in English. The formation differs depending on whether it is used with a verb, い-adjective, or な-adjective.
Example sentences
Inference (It Seems / Probably)
- ～だろう〜darouN4Express probability, likelihood or certainty; 'probably'…
- ～ようだ〜you daN4Expresses appearance, similarity or inference; 'it seems'…
- ～らしい〜rashiiN3Expresses hearsay; 'I heard', 'it seems', 'apparently'.
- ～ということだ〜to iu koto daN3Express a conclusion or hearsay; 'I heard', 'it means'…
- ～んだって〜n datteN3Conveys information heard from someone else; 'I heard'…
- ～かもしれない〜kamoshirenaiN4Express uncertainty; 'maybe', 'might', 'possibly'.
- もしかすると〜かもしれないmoshikasuru to 〜kamoshirenaiN3Express the possibility of something; 'maybe', 'perhaps'…
- ～とのことだ〜to no koto daN1Expresses something that the speaker heard; 'I've heard…
- ～とみえて〜to mieteN1It seems that; apparently
- ～まい〜maiN2Express a negative conjecture or determination; 'probably…
- ～に決まっている〜ni kimatte iruN2Express certainty; 'it is obvious', 'it must be', 'no…
Corpus examples (60)
トムとメアリーは幸せそうだ。
Tom and Mary seem happy.
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It seems I'm going to be up all night tonight.
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She is apt to fail.
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It is said that her father was killed in a traffic accident.
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You're certainly looking fit as a fiddle today.
イギリスに加えて、フランスもドイツからの廃棄物の持ち込みを禁止しそうだ。
Together with Britain, France may ban imports of waste from Germany.
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It is said that prices are going to rise again.
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This time Bob is likely to win.
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The sitting government is likely to win in the coming election.
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He is likely to live to be ninety.
ある研究の報告によれば、間接喫煙の結果、53,000人のアメリカ人が毎年死亡しているそうだ。
A study reports that 53,000 Americans die each year as a result of secondhand smoke.
天気が悪くてもひとつくらい良いことはある。日記を書いていられるし、スペイン語のレベルアップもできそうだ。
Even if the weather is bad, there's at least one good thing about it. I can write in my diary, and I can work on my Spanish as well.
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He is likely to win the scholarship.
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It's going to be another hot day.
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That river seems shallow, doesn't it?
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He seems to be sick.
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I hear Robert is sick.
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Mayuko looks cross.
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He seems happy.
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It looks like snow toward evening.
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Something bad is going to happen.
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Your second button is coming off.
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They say that he was born in Germany.
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They said he was still weak from a recent sickness.
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The repairs will cost at least 20 pounds.