The Two Meanings of '-sō desu': Hearsay vs. Appearance
The phrase 〜そうです (-sō desu) is one of the most confusing grammar points for Japanese learners. Why? Because it has two completely different meanings depending on how it's connected to the preceding word. One version means "I heard that..." and the other means "It looks like..."
Mistaking one for the other can completely change the meaning of your sentence. The good news is that the rule to tell them apart is very simple and consistent. This guide will clarify the two different forms so you can use them with confidence.
1. Hearsay そうです: "I heard that..."
This form is used to report information you have heard or read. It's similar to -rashii but is generally considered more reliable. The key is that it attaches to the dictionary form (plain form) of verbs and i-adjectives, and to the plain form + だ for nouns and na-adjectives.
Rule: Plain Form + そうです
Example 1 (Verb):
ニュースによると、明日雨が降るそうです。
(Nyūsu ni yoru to, ashita ame ga furu sō desu.)
"According to the news, I heard it's going to rain tomorrow."
Example 2 (i-Adjective):
あのレストランはとても美味しいそうです。
(Ano resutoran wa totemo oishii sō desu.)
"I heard that restaurant is very delicious."
Example 3 (Noun):
田中さんは医者だそうです。
(Tanaka-san wa isha da sō desu.)
"I heard Mr. Tanaka is a doctor."
2. Appearance そうです: "It looks like..."
This form is used to make a judgment based on what you see. It's your own visual assessment of a situation. The key is that it attaches to the stem of verbs (masu-form without the -masu) and i-adjectives (without the final -i), and directly to na-adjectives.
Rule: Stem / Adjective Base + そうです
Example 1 (Verb):
雨が降りそうです。
(Ame ga furi sō desu.)
"It looks like it's going to rain." (You see dark clouds).
Example 2 (i-Adjective):
このケーキは美味しそうですね。
(Kono kēki wa oishi sō desu ne.)
"This cake looks delicious, doesn't it?" (You see the cake).
Example 3 (na-Adjective):
彼は元気そうですね。
(Kare wa genki sō desu ne.)
"He looks energetic, doesn't he?"
💡 Special Exception!
For the adjective いい (ii), the appearance form becomes よさそう (yosasō). Example: 「天気はよさそうですね」 (Tenki wa yosasō desu ne - The weather looks good).
Conjugation at a Glance
| Word Type | Hearsay ("I heard...") | Appearance ("It looks...") |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (e.g. 降る) | 降る + そうです (furu sō desu) | 降り + そうです (furi sō desu) |
| i-Adj (e.g. 美味しい) | 美味しい + そうです (oishii sō desu) | 美味し + そうです (oishi sō desu) |
| na-Adj (e.g. 元気) | 元気だ + そうです (genki da sō desu) | 元気 + そうです (genki sō desu) |
Conclusion
The rule is simple: if -sō desu follows a complete, dictionary-form word, it means hearsay. If it follows the stem of a verb or adjective, it means appearance. By paying close attention to the word just before -sō desu, you can easily distinguish between these two important meanings.