Newer
Vague Expressions ⑧: How to Use 「〜はずです」
04/26/2026
<- Back to blog
Vague Expressions ⑦: How to Use 「〜そうです」 (Appearance and Hearsay)
Kotoba Drill Editor
Today's theme
「〜そうです」 is a very useful vague expression.
But it actually has two meanings.
- 「〜そうです」 for 「様態（ようたい）」: an appearance-based impression from what you see. 「おいしそうです。」 (It looks delicious.)
- 「〜そうです」 for 「伝聞（でんぶん）」: a hearsay form that passes on what you heard. 「おいしいそうです。」 (I hear it is delicious.)
Even though both forms are 「そうです」, the meanings are completely different.
The sentence forms are also only slightly different, so many learners find them easy to mix up.
Today, we learn the difference between the two kinds of 「そうです」 and tips for choosing the right one through examples.
The two meanings of 「〜そうです」
「〜そうです」 is used in the following two ways.
| Meaning | Source of information | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 「様態（ようたい）」 | what you judge from what you see yourself | 「ケーキがおいしそうです。」 |
| 「伝聞（でんぶん）」 | something you heard from someone or read in an article | 「このケーキはおいしいそうです。」 |
「様態」 is used for something that looks likely to happen or the impression you get from appearance.
「伝聞」 passes on something you heard from someone else more or less as it was told to you.
| Wording | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| 「おいしそうです。」 | You have not eaten it yet. You are judging from how it looks. |
| 「おいしいそうです。」 | You have not eaten it yourself. You heard it from someone else. |
Whether there is an 「い」 or not changes the meaning.
Difference from 「〜らしいです」 (comparing two hearsay forms)
The hearsay use of 「〜そうです」 and 「〜らしいです」 from ⑤ both pass on something you heard.
But they differ in how firm the source sounds and how much distance the speaker keeps from the information.
- 「〜そうです」 (hearsay): passes on information more directly. It works well for news and articles.
- 「〜らしいです」: passes on information with a little distance. It also works for rumors.
| Expression | Common scenes | Impression |
|---|---|---|
| 「〜そうです」 (hearsay) | news, reports, quotations from articles | the source sounds clear |
| 「〜らしいです」 | everyday conversation, rumors | a little more distant and less direct |
Examples:
- when you heard it in a weather forecast -> 「明日は雨が降るそうです。」
- when it is a rumor you heard from a friend -> 「明日は雨が降るらしいです。」
Difference from 「〜のようです」 (comparing two appearance-based forms)
The appearance use of 「〜そうです」 and 「〜のようです」 from ④ both describe how something seems.
But they differ in when and how you make the judgment.
- 「〜そうです」 (appearance): based on what something looks like right now or what seems about to happen
- 「〜のようです」: based on putting together several clues and then making a judgment
Examples:
- the sky is completely dark -> 「雨が降りそうです。」 (It looks like it is about to rain now.)
- the road is wet and people have umbrellas -> 「雨が降ったようです。」 (It seems to have rained, judging from the situation.)
It helps to remember:
「そうです」 (appearance) is about an immediate impression,
while 「のようです」 is a more overall judgment.
Sentence form and how to build it
The two kinds of 「そうです」 connect to the sentence in different ways. This is the key point.
「〜そうです」 for appearance (what it looks like)
| Sentence type | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| i-adjective | remove the final 「い」 and add 「そう」 | 「おいしい」 -> 「おいしそう」 |
| na-adjective | adjective stem + 「そう」 | 「元気（な）」 -> 「元気そう」 |
| Verb | remove 「ます」 from the polite stem and add 「そう」 | 「降ります」 -> 「降りそう」 |
Nouns normally do not take the appearance use of 「そうです」.
「〜そうです」 for hearsay (what you heard)
| Sentence type | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | noun + 「だ」 + 「そうです」 | 「学生だそうです」 |
| i-adjective | plain form + 「そうです」 | 「おいしいそうです」 |
| na-adjective | adjective stem + 「だ」 + 「そうです」 | 「元気だそうです」 |
| Verb | plain form + 「そうです」 | 「降るそうです」 |
A simple way to remember it is: attach 「そうです」 directly to the plain form for hearsay.
A quick way to tell them apart
| Point | Appearance | Hearsay |
|---|---|---|
| i-adjective | drop the 「い」 (「おいしそう」) | keep the 「い」 (「おいしいそう」) |
| Verb | use the 「ます」 stem (「降りそう」) | keep the plain form (「降るそう」) |
| Noun | rarely used | possible (「学生だそう」) |
Scene ①: appearance (describing what you see)
Use this form when you want to say what you feel from what is in front of you, or what seems likely to happen next.
- looking at a cake: 「このケーキ、おいしそうです。」
- looking at the sky: 「雨が降りそうです。」
- looking at a friend's face: 「元気そうですね。」
In this way, it is used when you make a guess from information you saw with your own eyes.
The feeling is, "I have not checked it yet, but that is how it looks to me."
Scene ②: hearsay (passing on what you heard)
Use this form when you want to pass on something you heard from someone else or read somewhere.
- after seeing a weather forecast: 「明日は雨が降るそうです。」
- after hearing it from a friend: 「田中さんは来月結婚するそうです。」
- after reading it in the news: 「新しい駅ができるそうです。」
In this way, it is used when you want to pass on information that did not come from your own direct check.
The feeling is not your own opinion or guess, but "I am just telling you what I heard."
Caution: do not mix up the sentence forms
The point to watch most carefully is where the 「い」 goes.
| Mistake | Correct | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ✗ 「おいしそうだそうです。」 | 「おいしそうです。」 | Appearance (judging from how it looks) |
| ✗ 「おいしいそう。」 | 「おいしいそうです。」 | Hearsay (something you heard) |
| ✗ 「降るそう」 (when you mean the appearance use) | 「降りそうです。」 | Appearance (it looks like it will rain any moment) |
Also, people sometimes add 「〜ね」 or 「〜よ」 to 「そうです」 to add feeling.
- 「おいしそうですね。」 (appearance + asking for agreement)
- 「雨が降るそうですよ。」 (hearsay + giving information)
Choose the ending that sounds natural for the situation.
Where 「〜そうです」 fits and does not fit
| Fits | Does not fit |
|---|---|
| describing what is in front of you (appearance) | stating a confirmed fact with certainty |
| passing on what you heard as it is (hearsay) | passing on rumors with distance (-> 「らしいです」) |
| news or reports with a clear source | stating the speaker's own opinion |
| predicting something that seems about to happen | passing on information with no clear source |
Rephrasing options (kana（かな（ひらがなよみ））＋ IPA)
This is how to choose between the two uses of 「そうです」 and similar expressions.
| Rephrase type | Goal | Example | Reading (kana（かな（ひらがなよみ））) | Pronunciation (IPA) | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance (what you see) | Describe what seems to be happening in front of you | 「雨が降りそうです。」 (It looks like it will rain.) | （あめ が ふり そう です） | [ame̞ ɡa ɸɯɾi so̞ː de̞sɯ] | A prediction that seems about to come true |
| Hearsay (what you heard) | Pass on information with a source | 「雨が降るそうです。」 (I hear it will rain.) | （あめ が ふる そう です） | [ame̞ ɡa ɸɯɾɯ so̞ː de̞sɯ] | Passes on what you heard as it is |
| Observation-based inference | Reason from the situation | 「雨が降ったようです。」 (It seems to have rained.) | （あめ が ふった よう です） | [ame̞ ɡa ɸɯtta joː de̞sɯ] | A judgment based on several clues |
| Distant hearsay | Pass something on a little more vaguely | 「雨が降るらしいです。」 (Apparently it will rain.) | （あめ が ふる らしい です） | [ame̞ ɡa ɸɯɾɯ ɾaɕi de̞sɯ] | Good for rumors or indirect information |
| Evidence-based guess | State a prediction with some basis | 「雨が降るでしょう。」 (It will probably rain.) | （あめ が ふる で しょう） | [ame̞ ɡa ɸɯɾɯ de̞ɕoː] | A guess based on some evidence |
Note
IPA is approximate. Vowel length and the sound of 「ん」 vary by speaker. Check together with kana.
Practical switching examples (daily life and work｜kana（かな（ひらがなよみ））＋ IPA)
If you match the form to the scene, your message becomes easier to understand.
| Scene | Intention | Better wording | Reading (kana（かな（ひらがなよみ））) | Pronunciation (IPA) | Point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily life (cooking) | Say what you feel from the appearance | 「このスープ、おいしそうです。」 (This soup looks delicious.) | （この スープ おいし そう です） | [ko̞no̞ sɯːpɯ o̞iɕi so̞ː de̞sɯ] | Appearance (you have not tasted it yet) |
| Daily life (friend) | Pass on what you heard as it is | 「山田さんは来月引っ越すそうです。」 (I hear Yamada is moving next month.) | （やまださん は らいげつ ひっこす そう です） | [jamadasaɴ wa ɾaiɡe̞tsɯ çikko̞sɯ so̞ː de̞sɯ] | Hearsay (you heard it from a friend) |
| School (test) | Make a guess from what you see | 「このテストは難しそうです。」 (This test looks difficult.) | （この テスト は むずかし そう です） | [ko̞no̞ te̞sɯto̞ wa mɯdzɯkaɕi so̞ː de̞sɯ] | Appearance (judging from the questions) |
| School (teacher's message) | Pass on information from the teacher | 「明日の授業は休みだそうです。」 (I hear tomorrow's class is canceled.) | （あした の じゅぎょう は やすみ だ そう です） | [aɕita no̞ dʑɯɡʲoː wa jasɯmi da so̞ː de̞sɯ] | Hearsay (you heard it from the teacher) |
| Work (meeting) | Describe how the proposal seems to be going | 「この案は通りそうです。」 (This proposal looks likely to pass.) | （この あん は とおり そう です） | [ko̞no̞ aɴ wa to̞ːɾi so̞ː de̞sɯ] | Appearance (judging from how the meeting is going) |
| Work (report) | Pass on what another department said | 「来月、組織が変わるそうです。」 (I hear the organization will change next month.) | （らいげつ そしき が かわる そう です） | [ɾaiɡe̞tsɯ so̞ɕiki ɡa kawaɾɯ so̞ː de̞sɯ] | Hearsay (information heard inside the company) |
Small tips to make your message clearer
1) Add the source in one short phrase
The hearsay use of 「〜そうです」 becomes easier to understand if you mention the source.
- 「天気予報によると、明日は雨が降るそうです。」
- 「田中さんの話では、会議は3時からだそうです。」
If you put 「〜によると」 or 「〜の話では」 before the sentence, the source becomes clearer.
2) Drop the 「い」 for appearance, keep the 「い」 for hearsay
If you get confused with an i-adjective, remember just this one point.
- 「おいしそう」 (appearance)
- 「おいしいそう」 (hearsay)
With verbs:
- 「降りそう」 (appearance: from the 「ます」 stem)
- 「降るそう」 (hearsay: from the plain form)
3) Switch by situation
- when you want to talk about something you saw and felt -> appearance
- when you want to pass on something you heard -> hearsay
If you keep in mind whether you saw it yourself or heard it from somewhere, choosing the natural form becomes much easier.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Common sentence | What is the issue? | Fix (example) |
|---|---|---|
| 「このケーキは、おいしいそうです。」 (after you ate it yourself) | It is a hearsay form, so it sounds like you heard it from someone else | 「このケーキは、おいしいです。」 / 「おいしそうです。」 |
| 「雨が降るそうです。」 (while looking at the sky) | It is a hearsay form, so it sounds like you heard it from someone else | 「雨が降りそうです。」 |
| 「田中さんは元気そうだそうです。」 | The appearance and hearsay forms are mixed together unnaturally | 「田中さんは元気だそうです。」 (hearsay only) |
| 「あの人は学生そうです。」 | Nouns do not normally combine with the appearance use of 「そう」 | 「あの人は学生のようです。」 / 「学生だそうです。」 |
Summary
「〜そうです」 is a useful expression for:
- making a guess from what is in front of you (appearance)
- passing on what you heard from someone else as it is (hearsay)
On the other hand, in scenes like these:
- when the sentence form is wrong, especially the position of 「い」
- when the source of information stays unclear
- when you want to state your own confident opinion
you should switch to another expression such as 「〜です」, 「〜でしょう」, 「〜らしいです」, or 「〜のようです」.
If you keep asking yourself, "Did I see it, or did I hear it?",
you will be able to switch naturally among
「そうです」 (appearance), 「そうです」 (hearsay), 「らしいです」, 「のようです」, and 「でしょう」
and build Japanese that expresses your meaning accurately.
