比較 · JLPT N4–N3
そうだ vs ようだ vs らしい vs みたい
sou da vs you da vs rashii vs mitai
Stem + そう: it looks like (from what you see). Plain + そうだ: I heard. ようだ / みたい: it seems (your judgement). らしい: apparently (from what you heard, with distance).
Five ways to say "seems" in Japanese, and how to tell them apart by evidence and by form.
Side by side
| Evidence | Form | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜そう (looks) | What you see right now | Stem + そう | 雨が降りそう |
| 〜そうだ (hearsay) | Something you heard or read | Plain + そうだ | 雨が降るそうだ |
| 〜ようだ | Your own judgement from clues | Plain + ようだ | 雨が降ったようだ |
| 〜みたい | Same as ようだ, casual | Plain + みたい | 雨が降ったみたい |
| 〜らしい | Hearsay, a little distant | Plain + らしい | 雨が降るらしい |
Watch the form
The two そう are told apart by what comes before them: the stem (降りそう) means looks like; the plain form (降るそうだ) means I hear.
ようだ and みたい mean the same, but みたい is spoken and attaches directly to nouns: 学生みたい, against 学生のようだ.
Think about the evidence
Looking at dark clouds: 降りそう. Seeing wet streets in the morning: 降ったようだ / みたい. Reading the forecast: 降るそうだ. Hearing it vaguely from someone: 降るらしい.
Side-by-side examples
Tap a kanji for its reading.
- このケーキ、おいしそう。This cake looks delicious.From how it looks.
- あの店のケーキはおいしいそうだ。I hear that shop's cakes are good.From what someone said.
- 道がぬれている。雨が降ったようだ。The road is wet. It seems it rained.Judging from clues.
- 田中さん、会社を辞めるらしいよ。Apparently Tanaka is quitting.Rumour, at a distance.
Quick check
- 空が暗い。雨が（降り / 降る）そうだ。 (looks like)
Show the answer
降り · Looks like uses the stem. - 天気予報によると、明日は雪だ（ ）。
Show the answer
そうだ · Reporting a named source. - 電気が消えている。だれもいない（ ）だ。
Show the answer
よう · Your own inference from a clue.