N4 Appearance & Hearsay

~そうだ(様態ようたい): meaning, usage and examples

~そうだ(様態ようたい) means: looks like..., going to… (describing things).

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. このケーキ、美味おいしそうですね。

   This cake looks delicious.

2. 雨あめが降ふりそうです。

   It looks like it's going to rain.

3. 田中たなかさんはとても眠ねむそうです。

   Mr. Tanaka looks very sleepy.

4. あ、棚たなの上うえのかばんが落おちそうですよ。

   Oh, the bag on the shelf looks like it is about to fall.

When to use it

This そうだ means "looks" or "looks like it is about to". With adjectives it describes how something seems from its appearance: おいしそう (looks tasty), 眠ねむそう (looks sleepy). With verbs it says something seems about to happen: 雨あめが降ふりそうです (It looks like it is going to rain), 棚たなから落おちそうです.

Nuance

Based on a direct, immediate impression from what you see or feel. It is not used for things that are plainly visible as facts: for a pretty person in front of you, say きれいですね, not きれいそう (that sounds like "seems pretty, but I am not sure"). It does not attach to nouns.

Compare

Appearance vs hearsay そうだ: the connection decides the meaning. 雨あめが降ふりそうです (stem: it looks like rain) vs 雨あめが降ふるそうです (plain form: I hear it will rain). おいしそうです (looks tasty) vs おいしいそうです (I hear it is tasty). ようだ is a judgment from evidence, not just a look.

Tip: Two exceptions to memorize: いい -> よさそう and ない -> なさそう. Saying いいそう for "looks good" is one of the most common learner mistakes.