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.
This cake looks delicious.
He seems well.
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.
That person seems to be a student.
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.
He seems to be tired.
Expresses a personal feeling or hunch that something is the case. Attach to a clause ending in plain form.
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.
I heard it will rain tomorrow.
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.
Apparently he's not coming.
Formal expression meaning 'it is said that' or 'I hear that'. Often used in writing or formal speech.
It is said that the meeting will be postponed.
Describing that something has the typical qualities of a certain category.
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...'.
She smiled happily (looking happy).
Literary suffix meaning 'with an air of...'. Attach to adjective stems or nouns describing emotions.
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.
That person is wearing clothes like a celebrity.