Meaning
Used when the speaker judges something from appearance or impression. Here it has the meaning of 'seems' based on what it looks like, not hearsay.
Formation
- Verb: drop ます: 降ります → 降りそうです
- i-adjective: drop い: おいしい → おいしそうです
- na-adjective: drop な: 元気そうです
- いい → よさそう, ない → なさそう
When to use it
- Core use
- Looks like it, judging by sight
Example
このケーキはおいしそうです
This cake looks delicious.
Important notes
- Pay attention to the word form before the construction and to the particles around it.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate the pattern word for word; first identify its function in the whole situation.