Apparently and seems
Three ways to say something you're not sure of: ～そうだ for news you heard, ～らしい for "apparently" and ～みたい for your own guess. Plus how to tell this そう from the "looks like" そう in Everyday Japanese 1. Tap to hear any line. The bar at the bottom plays a hands-free drill for walking.
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25 things you heard or noticed
Each card shows a word, the ending it takes and a sentence about news, rumours or what you can see. Eight reuse words from earlier courses and lessons.
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Heard it, or guessing?
All three go after the plain form. そうだ and らしい pass on what you heard. みたい is your own guess from what you see.
| Form | Use it for | Example |
|---|
- Two kinds of そう. = it looks like rain (you can see it). = I heard it'll rain. The verb form tells you which.
- らしい is second-hand. Something you heard or read, often a rumour. It keeps you a step back from the claim.
- みたい is your own guess. From what you see or notice. It's the one you'll hear most at home.
- On the news and at the station. You'll hear ～そうです and ～ようです, the polite form of みたい.
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Four patterns to use today
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Say it in Japanese
Say each one out loud before you reveal the answer. Getting close counts.