Speculation

JLPT N3 Japanese self-study　·　~15 min　·　Heard / looks like / seems: らしい・ようだ・そうだ

'I heard Tanaka quit.' 'The sky is dark, it looks like it's about to rain.' These three all mean 'seems like' but are used differently.

What you'll learn

• Understand らしい (hearsay/rumor)
• Understand ようだ (based on observation)
• Understand そうだ appearance (looks like it's about to...)

How to study “Speculation”

“Speculation” (Heard / looks like / seems: らしい・ようだ・そうだ) is a JLPT N3 chapter of our free Japanese self-study course, about 15 min. You learn by doing — flashcard drills and fill-in-the-blank quizzes graded on the spot — completely free, with no sign-up and no ad wall. Once it clicks, read the matching in-depth explainer over in Grammar.