“〜sou da”: Appearance (Looks) vs Hearsay (I Hear) — A Complete Distinction [JLPT N4]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「雨が降りそうだ」vs「雨が降るそうだ」 — same word, but the meaning and connection are worlds apart.

「おいしそう」 or 「おいしいそう」? — one 「そうだ」, two meanings

The same 「そうだ」: attached as 「おいしそう」 it's “looks tasty,” but as 「おいしいそう」 it's “I hear it's tasty” — one character of attachment apart, opposite meanings (one you see, one you're told). 「そうだ」 has two totally different uses — appearance (looks like ~) and hearsay (I hear ~) — told apart by attachment. This is the “master distinction” guide — the attachment rules and how to judge, at once (each use has its own 〈appearance〉／〈hearsay〉 guide).

Core: tell appearance from hearsay by “attachment”

「そうだ」's two uses hinge on what form it attaches to:

• Appearance (looks like ~) = attaches to the stem: ます-stem, adjective stem. 降りそう, おいしそう (drop い).
• Hearsay (I hear ~) = attaches to the plain form: dictionary form, a full clause. 降るそう, おいしいそう (keep い).

Rule of thumb: “short (stem) = appearance, long (plain form) = hearsay.” Clearest with verbs: 降り (appearance) vs 降る (hearsay).

Attachment compared

Examples in context

• このケーキ、おいしそう。(This cake looks tasty.) — appearance (drop い)
• このケーキ、おいしいそう。(I hear this cake is tasty.) — hearsay (keep い)
• 雨が降りそうだ。(It looks about to rain.) — appearance (ます-stem)
• 天気予報で、雨が降るそうだ。(The forecast says it'll rain.) — hearsay (dictionary)
• 彼、元気そう／元気だそう。(He looks well／I hear he's well.) — appearance vs hearsay

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① Adjectives: drop い = appearance, keep い = hearsay. おいしそう (drop い, looks tasty) vs おいしいそう (keep い, I hear it's tasty). One 「い」 apart, opposite meanings. The classic trap.

② Verbs: ます-stem = appearance, dictionary = hearsay. 降りそう (looks about to fall) vs 降るそう (I hear it'll fall). Appearance drops the 「る／ます」; hearsay keeps the full dictionary form.

③ Hearsay often pairs with 「によると」, appearance with the scene before you. Seeing dark clouds → 「降りそう (appearance)」; reading the news → 「降るそうだ (hearsay)」. A source (によると) = hearsay; judging by what's before you = appearance.

🔄 Compare with similar forms: appearance-そうだ／hearsay-そうだ／ようだ・らしい

💡 An exam judgment tip

For 「そうだ」's two uses, one rule of thumb keeps you right: “short = appearance (looks like), long = hearsay (I hear).” Adjectives, watch the 「い」: おいしそう (drop い = looks like), おいしいそう (keep い = I hear); verbs, watch the form: 降りそう (ます-stem = looks like), 降るそう (dictionary = I hear). A judging trick: by what's before your eyes = appearance; with a source (によると) = hearsay. This is the “master distinction” — for each one's attachment details, negatives, and exceptions (よさそう), see the 〈appearance-そうだ〉／〈hearsay-そうだ〉 guides. Grasp “stem vs plain form” and the two そうだ never blur again.

❓ Questions you might have

Q: Fastest way to tell appearance from hearsay そうだ?

By the length of the attachment: attaches to a “stem” (short) = appearance (looks like); attaches to the “plain form” (long, full) = hearsay (I hear). Clearest with adjectives: おいしそう (drop い, short → appearance) vs おいしいそう (keep い, long → hearsay). Verbs: 降りそう (ます-stem, short → appearance) vs 降るそう (dictionary, long → hearsay). Rule of thumb: “short looks like, long I hear.” Plus one clue: a source like 「によると」 = hearsay.

Q: Why does 「そうだ」 have two totally different meanings?

Because they're actually two different 「そうだ」s that happen to be written the same. Appearance-そうだ comes from “judging by how it looks”; hearsay-そうだ from “(hearing) it said that way” (relaying). Japanese separates them by attachment: appearance to the stem (降り), hearsay to the plain form (降る). So despite the same form, checking what it attaches to and whether there's a source tells you “looks like” or “I hear.” A favorite JLPT distinction point.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「このケーキ、おいし___！」 (looks delicious) Correct form of the appearance-based そうだ?

(A) いそうだ　(B) そうだ　(C) そうです　(D) らしい

Q2. 「天気予報によると、明日は晴れる___です。」 (hearsay: I hear it will be sunny) Which fits the blank?

(A) そう　(B) ようだ　(C) らしい　(D) みたい

Q3. Appearance vs. hearsay: what is the difference between 「おいしそうだ」 and 「おいしいそうだ」?

(A) exactly the same

(B) おいしそうだ = looks delicious (from one's own observation); おいしいそうだ = I hear it's delicious (someone said so)

(C) おいしそうだ = hearsay; おいしいそうだ = appearance

(D) only おいしそうだ is correct

Q4. 「問題___そうだ。」 (looks like there's no problem) The negative appearance form — which fits the blank?

(A) なさ　(B) ない　(C) なく　(D) なさい

Q5. 「試験に落ち___だ。」 (it feels like I'm about to fail the exam) Which fits the blank for appearance-based そうだ?

(A) るそう　(B) そう　(C) たそう　(D) ているそう

Answer Explanations

1. (B) そうだ ── appearance-based そうだ: for an い-adjective, drop い and add そう. おいし (drop い) + そうだ.

2. (A) そう ── hearsay そうだ: verb plain form + そう. 「晴れるそうです」. らしい also works, but 天気予報によると commonly pairs with hearsay そうだ.

3. (B) ── おいしそうだ (drop い) = appearance (your own observation); おいしいそうだ (keep い) = hearsay (something you heard from others).

4. (A) なさ ── the appearance form of 「ない」 is the special form なさそうだ. 「問題なさそうだ」.

5. (B) そう ── appearance-based そうだ: verb ます-stem (drop ます) + そう. 落ちます→落ち→落ちそうだ.