Expressing hearsay and conjecture is an N3 focus. Four overlapping patterns — そうだ, らしい, ようだ, and みたいだ — each convey “it seems” with different sources of evidence.
At a Glance
| Pattern | Source of info | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| 〜そうだ (hearsay) | Heard it from someone | Neutral report, no personal judgment |
| 〜らしい | Indirect evidence / rumor | Evidence-based, but speaker didn’t witness directly |
| 〜ようだ / ようです | Direct observation | Based on what speaker sees/feels |
| 〜みたいだ / みたいです | Direct observation (casual) | Same as ようだ but more casual |
〜そうだ (Hearsay) — I Heard That
Attach to plain form: 明日は雨が降るそうだ。 — I heard it will rain tomorrow. (neutral report)
NOT based on personal judgment — purely relaying information from another source.
〜らしい — It Seems / Apparently
Based on indirect evidence (not personal observation, not direct quote):
彼女は転職したらしい。 — She apparently changed jobs. (heard from others, indirect)
その店はおいしいらしい。 — That restaurant is apparently delicious. (based on reputation)
〜ようだ — It Seems Like (Observed)
Based on direct personal observation or evidence:
外を見ると、雨が降っているようだ。 — Looking outside, it seems like it’s raining.
More formal than みたいだ; used in writing.
〜みたいだ — Looks Like (Casual)
Same meaning as ようだ but casual:
彼、怒ってるみたい。 — He looks angry. (direct observation, casual)
YukaSo らしい is the same as そうだ hearsay?
ReiSimilar but different source! そうだ = directly heard/read from a specific source. らしい = general sense from various indirect signals — rumors, reputation, common knowledge. 田中さんが病気だそうだ = someone told me. 田中さんが病気らしい = I gather from various signs/rumors.
YukaHow does N3 test these? What kinds of questions?
ReiCommon N3 question: ‘Which form is natural here?’ and they give you a context. If you observe something directly → ようだ/みたいだ. If you heard it from someone specifically → そうだ. If it’s from rumors/reputation → らしい. Watch the context carefully — the source of information is the key discriminator.
Practice Questions
1. I directly see dark clouds. It looks like rain. → 黒い雲が出ている。雨が降る___。→ ようだ / みたいだ
2. My friend told me: Tanaka is getting married. → 田中さんが結婚する___。→ そうだ
3. I’ve heard (indirectly) that that restaurant is expensive. → あの店は高い___。→ らしい
Quick Quiz
1. Which form is based on direct observation? → ようだ / みたいだ
2. Which form reports what you directly heard from someone? → そうだ (hearsay)
3. Which form reports indirect evidence or reputation? → らしい
Practice in the Comments!
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Keep Learning: JLPT Study Guide | そうだ: Hearsay vs Appearance | かもしれない vs でしょう vs はずだ
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