そうもない・
The negative of the そうだ that means "looks like", for verbs: "it doesn't look like it will". You are reading the signs in front of you, not ruling it out.
Half the work is still left, so it doesn't look like we'll finish today.
There isn't a cloud in the sky, so it doesn't look like it will rain for a while.
How to form it
Verb ます-stem + そうもない／そうにない
降ります → 降りそうもない, 降りそうにない. The two mean the same. Polite: そうもありません, そうにありません. An adjective takes なさそうだ: 難しくなさそうだ.
- What you go on
- What you can see now: the sky, the clock, the line ahead of you, how much work is left.
- Before it
- Very often できる or a potential form: できそうにない, 眠れそうもない. About yourself it is for what you don't decide: 行けそうにない, not 行きそうにない.
- Where you'll meet it
- Everyday talk, messages at work, weather and news reports.
In use
It doesn't look like the rain is going to stop yet, does it?
The train is more than an hour late, so it doesn't look like I'll make the meeting.
Three days on, my fever still hasn't gone down, so it doesn't look like I'll be discharged tomorrow.
A softer way to say no
A flat ません closes the door. そうにありません says only that things are against it, so it is how people turn something down or break bad news politely.
I'm sorry, I can't come tomorrow.
Flat. It is settled.
I'm sorry, it doesn't look like I can come tomorrow.
The same no, with the blame on how things stand.
Not "I hear it won't"
It doesn't look like it will rain today.
On the stem 降り: you are looking at the sky.
I hear it won't rain today.
After a whole 降らない: someone told you.
Close neighbours
そうだN4
The positive: "it looks like it will".
The sky has suddenly grown dark. It looks like it is going to rain.
とても～ないN3
"Can't possibly". Neutral, so it works in polite talk and in writing too. とても goes before a negative that means "can't".
Even if we start running now, we can't possibly make the last train.
っこないN3
Casual and emphatic, for friends and family: "no way". On a verb stem, mostly できる and potential forms, or a verb for how things turn out (間に合う).
Even if we leave now, there's no way we'll make the last train.
Check yourself
1What does this mean?
今日は
Choose an answer to see why.
2Which one fits?
道が
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
In conversation you will also hear 降らなそう or 降らなさそう, with the same meaning.
Doesn't look like it'll rain today, does it?
More sentences
There is a long line at the counter, so it doesn't look like my turn will come before noon.
An accident has jammed the expressway, so it doesn't look like the bus will arrive on schedule.
There are almost no clues, so it doesn't look like the cause can be identified any time soon.
The engine is making a strange noise. It doesn't look like this car will make it all the way there.
On the current budget, it doesn't look like we can carry out this plan within the year.
It didn't look like the rain was going to stop, so I took a taxi home.