The Difference Between 〜そう and 〜らしい: Don’t Get Them Mixed Up!

When learning Japanese, some grammar points can feel super similar—especially when they both seem to mean “it looks like” or “I heard.” Two such expressions are 〜そう and 〜らしい. At first glance, they might seem interchangeable, but they actually have different meanings and uses.

Let’s break it down so you can master both like a pro!

〜そう (sou) — “It looks like…” / “It seems like…”

Use this when you’re making a guess based on what you SEE or OBSERVE.
Think of it as judging something by appearance or immediate impression.

Examples:

• このケーキ、美味おいしそう！
  This cake looks delicious!
• 雨あめが降ふりそうだね。
  Looks like it’s going to rain.

You’re not hearing this from someone—you’re seeing it with your own eyes or sensing it in the moment.

Grammar Tip:

• For い-adjectives, drop the い and add そう:
  たのしい → たのしそう
• For verbs, use the ます-stem:
  たべます → たべそう

Don’t confuse this with そうです (I heard), which brings us to…

〜らしい (rashii) — “I heard that…” / “Apparently…”

Use this when you’re talking about something you HEARD or READ from another source, not something you saw yourself.

Examples:

• 彼かれは日本にほんに引ひっ越こしたらしいよ。
  Apparently, he moved to Japan.
• あの店みせは美味おいしいらしいね。
  I heard that restaurant is good.

You’re not judging based on your own senses—you’re reporting information from others.

Bonus:

• 〜らしい can also be used to express that something is typical of a category:
  • それは彼女かのじょらしい。→ That’s so like her. / That’s typical of her.
  • 春はるらしい天気てんきですね。→ This is typical spring weather.

Quick Comparison

Practice Time!

Can you guess which one to use?

1. That cloud looks like it’s about to rain. → ___________
2. I heard she got a new job. → ___________
3. That movie looks interesting! → ___________
4. Apparently, tomorrow’s a holiday. → ___________

Final Tip

If you’re seeing something with your own eyes or sensing it right now → use 〜そう.
If you’re talking about something you heard or read about → use 〜らしい.

Mastering these subtle differences makes your Japanese sound way more natural. Try using both in your daily conversations and you’ll get the hang of it in no time!

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