N4 · Adjectives and adverbs
Looks like: そう
そう for appearance
そう on a stem says how something looks, or what looks about to happen, judged by the eye.
そう attached to a stem reports an impression from what you can see: おいしそう, "looks delicious", 元気そう, "looks well". An i-adjective drops its い; a na-adjective takes そう directly. The result behaves like a na-adjective: おいしそうなケーキ, 元気そうです, 楽しそうに笑う.
On the ます-stem of a verb, そう says that something looks about to happen: 雨が降りそうです, "It looks like rain", 箱が落ちそうです, "The box looks as if it will fall". It is a prediction from signs in front of you, not something you were told.
Because it reports a guess, そう is not used for qualities you can see directly. Looking at a person, you do not say きれいそう — you can see she is beautiful, so you say きれいです. 赤そう about a red apple is wrong for the same reason. そう is for taste, mood, difficulty and what is about to happen: the things the eye can only suggest.
Two forms need care. いい becomes よさそう and ない becomes なさそう. And this そう must not be confused with the hearsay そうだ, "I hear that", which follows the full plain form: 降るそうです is "I hear it will rain". English speakers mix the two because both come out as "it seems".
The form
stem (regular) stem (irregular) ending
| looks delicious | おいしそう |
| looks well | 元気そう |
| looks like rain (from ふる) | 降りそう |
| looks good | よさそう |
| looks as if there is none | なさそう |
| a delicious-looking cake | おいしそうなケーキ |
| happily (by the look of it) | 楽しそうに |
The rules one by one
Drop the い of an i-adjective, or add そう directly to a na-adjective.
この問題は難しそうですね。This problem looks difficult.
On the ます-stem of a verb, そう means "looks about to".
今にも雨が降りそうです。It looks as if it will rain at any moment.
The result is a na-adjective: そうな before a noun, そうに before a verb.
子どもたちが楽しそうに遊んでいます。The children are playing happily.
いい and ない insert さ: よさそう, なさそう.
この店は雰囲気がよさそうですね。This place looks as if it has a nice atmosphere.
Do not use そう for what you can plainly see, such as a colour or obvious beauty.
あの花はきれいですね。Those flowers are pretty.
A closer look
Looking as if not
For an adjective, the negative guess is built on the negative form: おいしくなさそう, "doesn't look tasty". The plain alternative おいしそうじゃない is also heard and means much the same.
For a verb, Japanese says that the sign is missing: 降りそうもない or 降りそうにない, "it doesn't look as if it will rain". This is the form to reach for when something you are waiting for shows no sign of happening.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the adjective is いい or ない
a さ is inserted: よさそう, なさそう.
このかばんは丈夫でよさそうですね。This bag looks sturdy and good.
The stems よ and な are a single syllable, too short to carry the ending clearly.
How to spot it
- 〜そう
- 〜そうです
- 〜そうな
- 〜そうに
- よさそう
- なさそう
Example sentences
わあ、おいしそうなケーキですね。Oh, what a delicious-looking cake.
田中さん、今日は忙しそうですね。You look busy today, Mr Tanaka.
空が暗くなって、雨が降りそうです。The sky has gone dark; it looks like rain.
この仕事は簡単そうに見えますが、実際は大変です。This job looks easy, but in fact it is hard work.
棚の上の箱が落ちそうですよ。The box on the shelf looks as if it might fall.
この辺にはコンビニがなさそうですね。It does not look as if there is a convenience store round here.
8 more example sentences
弟はうれしそうに手紙を読んでいました。My little brother was reading the letter with a happy look.
寒そうですね。窓を閉めましょうか。You look cold. Shall I close the window?
このシャツはちょっと小さそうです。This shirt looks a bit small.
電車に間に合いそうもありません。It does not look as if we will make the train.
課長は機嫌が悪そうだから、後で話そう。The section chief looks to be in a bad mood, so let's talk to him later.
危なそうな所には行かないでください。Please do not go anywhere that looks dangerous.
ボタンが取れそうですよ。Your button is about to come off.
彼女は真面目そうな人ですね。She looks like a serious person.
Worth knowing (2)
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Exaggeration with a verb
With a verb, そう is also used for exaggeration about yourself, much as English says "I could die". It is everyday speech and not to be taken literally.
疲れて死にそうです。I am so tired I could drop.
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Not the hearsay そう
The ます-stem gives the appearance, the full plain form gives hearsay. One sound apart, and a different claim: the first is your own guess, the second is what somebody told you.
雨が降りそうです。雨が降るそうです。It looks like rain. I hear it is going to rain.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
そう marks a guess from appearances. If the quality is right there to be seen, there is nothing to guess, and きれいそう sounds as if you cannot quite tell. Say what you see; keep そう for what the look only suggests.
Use そう for a guess from what you see, never for what is already plain to see.
Your turn
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