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JLPT N4 grammar comparison

〜そうだ (hearsay) "I hear that / they say" vs 〜らしい "seems (from what I hear) / typical of"

By Nihongo PathUpdated

The difference

From the 〜そうだ (hearsay) "I hear that / they say" lesson

〜らしい "seems (from what I hear) / typical of": らしい also reports outside information but adds the speaker's guess and sounds less certain.

From the 〜らしい "seems (from what I hear) / typical of" lesson

〜そうだ (hearsay) "I hear that / they say": Hearsay そうだ reports directly, with no judgement. らしい adds "apparently" and sounds less sure.

Side by side

〜そうだ (hearsay) "I hear that / they say"

sou da (denbun) · JLPT N4

Meaning
Reporting information obtained from someone else or another source.
Formation
V-plain + そうだ: 降るそうだ, 降ったそうだ, 降らないそうだい-adjective + そうだ: おいしいそうだ, 高かったそうだな-adjective + だそうだ: 元気だそうだNoun + だそうだ: 学生だそうだSource: 〜によると / 〜の話では … そうだ

  1. 天気予報によると、明日は雪が降るそうです。

    てんきよほうによると、あしたは ゆきが ふるそうです。

    According to the forecast, it will snow tomorrow.

  2. 田中さんは来月結婚するそうだ。

    たなかさんは らいげつ けっこんするそうだ。

    I hear Tanaka is getting married next month.

Full lesson on 〜そうだ (hearsay) "I hear that / they say"

〜らしい "seems (from what I hear) / typical of"

rashii · JLPT N4

Meaning
(1) Conjecture based on external information, weaker commitment than そうだ (hearsay); (2) N + らしい = "typical of / true to being".
Formation
V-plain + らしい: 辞めるらしい, 引っ越したらしいい-adjective + らしい: 高いらしいな-adjective / Noun + らしい (no だ): 静からしい, 学生らしいN + らしい (typical of): 春らしい, 男らしい, 先生らしいConjugates as い-adjective: らしくない, らしかった, らしくて

  1. 山田さんは会社を辞めるらしい。

    やまださんは かいしゃを やめるらしい。

    Apparently Yamada is quitting the company.

  2. 隣の家に新しい人が引っ越してきたらしいです。

    となりの いえに あたらしい ひとが ひっこしてきたらしいです。

    It seems new people have moved in next door.

Full lesson on 〜らしい "seems (from what I hear) / typical of"

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between 〜そうだ (hearsay) "I hear that / they say" and 〜らしい "seems (from what I hear) / typical of"?

らしい also reports outside information but adds the speaker's guess and sounds less certain.

When do you use 〜らしい "seems (from what I hear) / typical of" instead of 〜そうだ (hearsay) "I hear that / they say"?

Hearsay そうだ reports directly, with no judgement. らしい adds "apparently" and sounds less sure.