(2023) ÈÇÓ×ÅÍÈÅ ßÇÛÊΠ| ßÇÛÊÈ ÂÎÑÒÎÊÀ | ßÏÎÍÑÊÈÉ III/410

Languages Study | Languages of the East | Japanese III

GRAMMAR II - 13.03 : .. soo desu
Grammar II - 13.03 Grammar L4 - 007 Menu - Grammar
...そうです - .. soo desu

In many soo desu sentences, the guesswork is done on the basis of visual impressions.
It is wrong, however, to assume that soo is inalienably linked to the visual medium.
We use soo desu when we lack conclusive evidence.
(For example, we say an apple is oishi soo before we have had the chance to taste it.
Once we have tasted it, we say oishii)

With an adjective for which visual evidence is crucial, such as kireina,
we do not use soo and say that something is kirei soo desu,
if it looks pretty; we already have enough evidence to conclude that it is pretty.
 

When we say ...そうです - soo desu, we are guessing what something is like on the basis of our impressions.

   
このりんごはおいしそうです。 This apple looks delicious

sono ringo-wa oishi soo desu.

  
あしたは天気がよさそうです。 It looks like the weather will be fine tomorrow.

ashita-wa tenki-ga yosa soo desu.

  
メアリーさんは元気そうでした。 It looked like Mary was fine.
mearii-san-wa genki soo desu.  
   
 

To form ...そうです sentences

 

with い-adjectives, drop the final い

 

(exception - いい - ii, change to よさ - yosa before そう - soo);

  with な-adjectives, you just drop な.  
   い-adjectives: 
おいしい -> おいしそうです  
oishii - oishii soo desu  
   (exception): 
いい -> よさそうです  
ii - yosa soo desu  
   な-adjectives: 
元気(な) -> 元気そうです  

genkina - genki soo desu

  
   
  You can use soo desu with negative adjectives too.
  The negative ending nai is changed to nasa before soo.
その本を難しくなさそうです。 This book does not look difficult.

sono hon-o muzukashiku nasa soo desu.

  
ともこさんはテニスが上手じゃなさそうです。 It does not look like Tomoko is good at tennis.
tomoko-san-wa tenisu-ga joozu ja nasa soo desu.  
  You can use the adjective + soo combination to qualify a noun,
soo is a na-adjective, thus we say soona before a noun.
暖かそうなセーターを着ています。 I am wearing a sweater that looks warm.
atataka soona seetaa-o kite imasu.  
   
  You can also use soo desu with a verb stem to describe an imminent event.
雨が降りそうです。 It looks like it will rain.

ame-ga furi soo desu,

  
  The negative of the verb stem + soo desu construction is somewhat irregular.
雨が降りそうもありません。 It does not look like it will rain.
ame-ga furi soo mo arimasen.