Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 47

Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 47
Let’s study N5-level Japanese grammar, lesson by lesson, following the Minna no Nihongo textbook.

Minna no Nihongo lesson 47 covers the そう pattern. It sounds like the そう grammar in lesson 43, but the structure and the meaning are different.

The そう in lesson 43 attaches to a verb with ます dropped and means “it looks like”, expressing a guess

The そう in lesson 47 attaches to the dictionary form Vる and means “I hear that”, “apparently”

1. plain form + そうです (how to pass on information you have heard)

Meaning: (I) hear that ~

Usage: Used to pass on information you heard somewhere to a third person, without adding your own judgement. To make the information sound more reliable, you can give its source with 「～によると」

* How it combines:

Examples:
① 天気予報によると、あしたは いい天気に なるそうです
According to the weather forecast, the weather is going to be fine tomorrow.。

② 田中さんは 今年の１２月に ベトナムへ 来るそうです
(I) hear that Mr Tanaka is coming to Vietnam in December this year.。

③ 東京は とても きれいだそうです
(I) hear that Tokyo is very beautiful。

④ 先生の話によると、彼女は みんなの前で 歌うのが 好きではないそうです
According to what the teacher said, she does not like singing in front of people。

⑤ ラオさんの電話によると、アリさんは パスポートを なくしてしまったそうです
According to Rao’s phone call, Ari has lost her passport.

 Note:

(1) This pattern differs from the 「そうです」 pattern in lesson 43 in both meaning and formation

Look at these examples:

① 雨が 降りそうです。 It looks like it is going to rain.

② 雨が 降るそうです。 I hear that it is going to rain.

Sentence ① is a guess based on your own observation, while sentence ② simply passes on something you heard somewhere, without your own judgement

(2) This pattern does not combine with the following:

the volitional form（しよう） , the prohibitive（するな） , the imperative（しろ） , conjecture（するでしょう） , requests（してください、しないでください） .

All other patterns can be combined with it.
（ × ） 山本さんは アメリカへ 行こうそうです。
（ ○ ） 山本さんは アメリカへ 行くつもりだそうです。

(3) To make it negative or past with this pattern, 「そうです」 does not change; only the tense of the verb, noun or adjective before it changes.
（ × ） リーさんは 中国へ 帰るそうじゃありません。
（ ○ ） リーさんは 中国へ 帰らないそうです。

(4) The difference between「～そうです」 and「～と言っていました」
「～と言っていました」 is only used to pass on information you heard directly from that person, while 「～そうです」 can be used for information from other sources
(it does not have to be that person who said it)

2. The grammar pattern ようです

(expressing a judgement or guess based on intuition, not very certain)

Meaning: It seems that ～

Usage: Used to express an inference or judgement made intuitively, based entirely on your own senses. Such guesses may therefore be wrong.

Structure:

Examples:

① 彼は きょう とても いそがしいようです。
He seems to be very busy today.

② きのう この道で 交通事故が 起こったようです。
It seems there was an accident on this road yesterday.

③ 部屋に 泥棒が 入ったようです。
It seems a thief got into the room.

④ 田中さんは とても 病気のようです。
It seems Mr Tanaka is seriously ill.

⑤ 先生は きょう ひまなようです。
The teacher seems to be free today.