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seems / looks like (emotional state)
Definition
The grammar pattern "Adj-i stem + げ / Adj-na stem + げ" is used to describe the emotional state or atmosphere of a person. It is often used to convey a sense of how someone appears to be feeling, rather than their actual emotions. This pattern is more literary than 'sou' and focuses on the aura or appearance of the emotion. For example, "悲し______に窓の外を眺めていた" (She looked sad and gazed out the window) emphasizes the appearance of sadness rather than the actual feeling.
Structure
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I-adjective stem | Adj-i stem + げ | 悲し (yūshige) - sad |
| Na-adjective stem | Adj-na stem + げ | 自信 (jishinage) - confident |
| I-adjective stem with -i suffix | Adj-i stem + げ | 心配 (shinpige) - worried |
Examples
彼女は悲し______に窓の外を眺めていた。
Kanojo wa yūshige ni mado no soto o nagame te ita.
She looked sad and gazed out the window.
彼女 (kanojo) - she, 悲し (yūshige) - sad, に (ni) - with, 窓の外 (mado no soto) - outside the window, を (o) - object marker, 眺め (nagame) - gazed,ていた (ite ita) - was
彼は自信たっぷり______、ステージに上がった。
Kare wa jishin tappuri yosage, suteiji ni agatta.
He looked confident and went on stage.
彼 (kare) - he, 自信たっぷり (jishin tappuri) - very confident, に (ni) - with, ステージ (suteiji) - stage, に (ni) - on, 上がった (agatta) - went up
何か言いた______な顔をしていますね。
Nanika iitaga nasage no kao o shite imasu ne.
He looks like he wants to say something.
何か (nanika) - something, 言いた (iitaga) - wants to say, な (na) - adverb, 顔を (kao o) - face, しています (shite imasu) - is, ね (ne) - polite marker
Context
This pattern is used to describe the emotional state or atmosphere of a person. It is more literary than 'sou' and focuses on the aura or appearance of the emotion. It is often used in formal or literary writing.
Watch out
This pattern is used to describe how someone appears to be feeling, not your own feelings.
While both patterns can be used to describe a person's appearance, 'sou' is more common for physical appearance and this pattern is more literary and focuses on the emotional state.
This pattern follows a regular formation rule, and 'yosage' and 'nasage' are not irregular forms.
Strategy
Pay attention to the context and the emotional state being described. This pattern is often used in formal or literary writing, so be prepared to see it in more complex sentences.
In context
Worked examples drawn from JLPT N3 test-style questions. Each sentence shows Adj-i stem + げ / Adj-na stem + げ used correctly, with a brief note on what the pattern is doing.
彼女は悲しげに窓の外を眺めていた。
Pattern used: げ
Ge is used with the stem of 'kanashii' to describe her sorrowful appearance.
彼は自信たっぷりありげに、ステージに上がった。
Pattern used: ありげに
Arige (from aru) describes an outward appearance or air of having confidence.
何か言いたたげな顔をしていますね。
Pattern used: たげ
Ge is used here with the 'tai' form to describe the look of wanting to say something.
Interactive
彼女は悲し______に窓の外を眺めていた。
Adaptive practice
Our adaptive engine will quiz you on this grammar pattern and track your progress toward mastery.