そうだ (seem) — Looks / Appears (immediate perception)
Indicates that something looks likely to happen or appears to be a certain way based on DIRECT observation. Attaches to verb masu-stems and adjective stems (not plain forms).
Structure
[Verb masu-stem] + そう | [い-adj drop い] + そう | [な-adj] + そう
Examples
今にも泣きそうだ。
Ima ni mo nakisou da.
She looks about to cry at any moment.
泣き (masu-stem) + そう = about to cry
このケーキ、甘そうですね。
Kono keeki, amasou desu ne.
This cake looks sweet.
甘い → 甘そう (drop い)
危なそうだったから、止めた。
Abunasou datta kara, yameta.
It looked dangerous, so I stopped.
危ない → 危なそう (drop い; NOT 危ないそう)
• Key concept: stem + そう = appearance from direct observation. • Exceptions: いい → よさそう (not いそう); ない → なさそう (not なそう). • Limitation: appearance そうだ can't be used for things you cannot perceive; for non-observable suppositions use らしい or ようだ instead.
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones そうだ is tested against.
vs そうだ (hearsay)
This 'seem' そう cuts the stem and is your own visual read. Hearsay そうだ takes the full plain form and reports info from elsewhere.
vs ようだ / みたい
よう/みたい draw a conclusion from accumulated evidence or resemblance. 'Seem' そう is a spontaneous, surface impression at the moment of looking.
vs らしい
らしい bases the guess on outside information or typical traits; 'seem' そう bases it purely on what you directly see right now.
More hearsay & conjecture
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