Translation guide
Expressing that something appears to be a certain way based on evidence, hearsay, or personal impression. Japanese uses several suffixes and constructions that attach to adjectives, verbs, and nouns, each with distinct nuances.
The speaker judges that something seems to be a certain way from what they see, hear, or feel right now.
Attach to the stem of an i-adjective (remove い) or na-adjective (without な) to mean 'looks/seems (adj)'. For verbs, attach to the masu-stem to mean 'looks like it's about to (verb)' or 'seems likely to (verb)'.
Do not use with nouns directly. For nouns, use 〜のようだ or 〜みたいだ.
このケーキはおいしそうだ。
This cake looks delicious.
He seems well.
雨が降りそうだ。
It looks like it's going to rain.
Casual, conversational. Attach directly to nouns, adjectives, or verbs to mean 'seems like' or 'looks like'. Often based on direct impression.
あの人は学生みたいだ。
That person seems to be a student.
外は寒いみたいだ。
It seems cold outside.
Slightly more formal than みたいだ. Attach to nouns with の, and directly to adjectives and verbs. Indicates a judgment based on sensory evidence or situation.
彼は疲れているようだ。
He seems to be tired.
Expresses a personal feeling or hunch that something is the case. Attach to a clause ending in plain form.
誰かが来た気がする。
I have a feeling someone came.
The speaker conveys that they heard or read that something is the case, without personal judgment.
Attach to the plain form of any verb, adjective, or noun + だ to mean 'I heard that...' or 'apparently'. This is a different そうだ from the one used for direct observation.
Do not confuse with the 〜そうだ used for direct observation. The hearsay そうだ attaches to the full plain form, while the observational そうだ attaches to stems.
明日は雨が降るそうだ。
I heard it will rain tomorrow.
彼は元気だそうだ。
Apparently he is doing well.
Indicates that the information is based on hearsay or reasonable conjecture. Attach to plain form. More objective than みたいだ.
彼は来ないらしい。
Apparently he's not coming.
Formal expression meaning 'it is said that' or 'I hear that'. Often used in writing or formal speech.
会議は延期されるということだ。
It is said that the meeting will be postponed.
Describing that something has the typical qualities of a certain category.
Attach directly to a noun to mean 'typical of (noun)' or 'just like a (noun)'. Expresses that the subject embodies the expected qualities.
今日は春らしい天気だ。
Today is typical spring weather.
彼は男らしい。
He is manly.
Casual way to say 'like a (noun)'. Used before nouns.
あの人は芸能人みたいな服を着ている。
That person is wearing clothes like a celebrity.
Describing the manner in which something appears, often used to modify verbs.
Adverbial form of 〜そうだ (observation). Attach to adjective stems to mean 'in a way that looks...'.
彼女は嬉しそうに笑った。
She smiled happily (looking happy).
Literary suffix meaning 'with an air of...'. Attach to adjective stems or nouns describing emotions.
彼は得意げに話した。
He spoke with a proud air.
そうだ (stem + そうだ) is used for an immediate, intuitive judgment based on appearance. ようだ/みたいだ are used for a more considered judgment based on evidence or situation. For example, おいしそうだ means 'it looks delicious' (from seeing it), while おいしいようだ means 'it seems to be delicious' (perhaps from hearing others enjoy it).
English often uses 'seems to be' for many nuances. Japanese requires choosing the right expression based on the source of information (direct observation, hearsay, conjecture). Using そうだ when you mean らしい can change the meaning significantly.