Translation guide
This English phrase is used to report information you have heard, read, or inferred, without claiming it as your own direct knowledge. Japanese has several ways to express this, depending on the source of information (hearsay vs. inference) and the level of formality.
Reporting something you heard from someone else or from a source like the news.
Attach to the plain form of a verb, adjective, or noun + だ. This is the most common and neutral way to report hearsay in both spoken and written Japanese.
明日は雨が降るそうだ。
It seems that it will rain tomorrow. (I heard it will rain.)
It seems that he's getting married next week. (I heard he's getting married.)
Also attaches to plain forms. It is similar to 〜そうだ but often implies the information is based on some evidence or rumor, and can sound slightly more indirect or less certain. Very common in conversation.
あのレストランは美味しいらしい。
It seems that restaurant is good. (I've heard it's good.)
彼女はもう帰ったらしい。
It seems she already went home. (I heard/It looks like she went home.)
Literally 'it is that...'. Used to report what you heard or read, often from a specific source. Slightly more formal and common in writing or news reports.
来月から電気料金が上がるということだ。
It seems that electricity rates will go up from next month. (It is said that...)
Casual contraction of 〜のだそうだ or 〜のだということだ. Used in informal conversation to report hearsay.
あの店、閉店するんだって。
It seems that store is closing down. (I heard that store is closing.)
Expressing a conjecture based on what you see, hear, or feel right now.
Attach to the stem of a verb or the stem of an i-adjective (drop the final い). This form expresses a guess based on direct evidence or appearance. Do not confuse with the hearsay 〜そうだ which attaches to the plain form.
For i-adjectives, drop the final い and add そうだ (e.g., 美味しい → 美味しそうだ). For na-adjectives, just add そうだ (e.g., 元気そうだ). Negative forms are irregular: 〜なさそうだ.
雨が降りそうだ。
It seems that it's going to rain. (It looks like rain.)
このケーキは美味しそうだ。
This cake looks delicious.
彼は元気そうだ。
He seems fine. (He looks well.)
Attach to plain forms. Very common in spoken Japanese. It indicates a conjecture based on observation or evidence, similar to 'it seems like' or 'it looks like'.
誰か来たみたいだ。
It seems someone has come. (Looks like someone's here.)
彼は疲れているみたいだ。
He seems tired.
Attach to plain forms. Similar to 〜みたいだ but slightly more formal and common in writing. Expresses inference based on evidence or sensory input.
彼はもう寝たようだ。
It seems he has already gone to bed. (It appears he's asleep.)
外は寒いようだ。
It seems cold outside.
Literally 'I have a feeling that...'. Used for intuitive or vague conjectures, not necessarily based on strong evidence.
今日は何かいいことがある気がする。
I have a feeling something good will happen today.
Used in news, reports, or formal writing to indicate information from a source or an observed situation.
A more formal version of 〜ということだ, often used in business or news reporting.
会議は延期されたとのことだ。
It seems that the meeting has been postponed. (We have heard that the meeting was postponed.)
Used in news reports to indicate a situation based on observation. Often translated as 'it appears that'.
犯人は逃走した模様だ。
It seems that the suspect has fled. (The suspect appears to have fled.)
The hearsay 〜そうだ attaches to the plain form of verbs, adjectives, and nouns. The inference 〜そうだ attaches to the stem of verbs and the stem of i-adjectives. Compare: 雨が降るそうだ (I heard it will rain) vs. 雨が降りそうだ (It looks like it will rain).
Both report hearsay, but 〜らしい often implies the information is based on some evidence or is a rumor, while 〜そうだ is a more direct report of what you heard. 〜らしい can also be used for conjecture based on evidence, similar to 〜みたいだ.
English 'it seems that' can sometimes soften a personal opinion (e.g., 'It seems to me that...'). In Japanese, use 〜と思う or 〜ように思う for personal thoughts, not the hearsay patterns.
彼は間違っていると思う。
It seems to me that he is wrong. (I think he's wrong.)