JLPT N4 Grammar
· Elementary
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· Elementary
it seems that; I heard that; typical of
Category: Appearance & Conjecture
The grammar pattern "Plain Form / N / Adj + らしい" is used to express a conjecture based on objective information or hearsay. It implies the speaker has some evidence for their statement. When used with nouns, it can also mean 'very much like' or 'typical of'. This pattern is often used to describe something that is commonly associated with a particular quality or characteristic. For example, "今日は暖かくて、とても春らしいですよ" means 'Today is warm and very much like spring.' The use of "らしい" implies that the speaker has some evidence to support their statement, such as the warmth of the day or the blooming of flowers. This pattern is often used in everyday conversation to describe something that is noticeable or apparent.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plain Form | Noun + Adj + らしい | 道がぬれていますね。夜の間に雨が降って、道がぬれていますね。夜の間に雨が降るような道がぬれていますね。 |
| Plain Form | Noun + Noun + らしい | 今日は暖かくて、とても春らしいですよ。 |
| Plain Form | Verb + らしい | 田中さんは最近、とても働き盛りらしいですよ。 |
道がぬれていますね。夜の間に雨が降って、道がぬれていますね。夜の間に雨が降るような道がぬれていますね。
Michi ga nurete imasu ne. Yoru no aida ame ga futte, michi ga nurete imasu ne. Yoru no aida ame ga futte no you na michi ga nurete imasu ne.
The road is wet. It rained at night, and the road is wet. The road is wet like it rained at night.
道がぬれていますね。 (The road is wet.) 夜の間に雨が降って、 (It rained at night,) doがぬれていますね。 (and the road is wet.) 夜の間に雨が降るような (It rained at night like) doがぬれていますね。 (and the road is wet.)
今日は暖かくて、とても春らしいですよ。
Kyou wa atsukute, totemo haru rashii desu yo.
Today is warm and very much like spring.
今日は (Today is) 暖かくて (warm) とても (very) 春らしいですよ。 (like spring.)
田中さんは最近、とても働き盛りらしいですよ。
Tanaka-san wa saikin, totemo hataraki mori rashii desu yo.
Tanaka-san is very much like a hard worker lately.
田中さんは (Tanaka-san is) 最近 (lately) とても (very) 働き盛りらしいですよ。 (like a hard worker.)
This pattern is used to describe something that is commonly associated with a particular quality or characteristic. It is often used in everyday conversation to describe something that is noticeable or apparent. It can be used with nouns, verbs, or adjectives to describe a person, place, or thing. The use of "らしい" implies that the speaker has some evidence to support their statement.
Unlike 'sou' hearsay, 'rashii' attaches directly to the noun or verb without using 'da'. For example, "田中さんは最近、とても働き盛りらしいですよ" is correct, but "田中さんは最近、とても働き盛りだらしいですよ" is incorrect.
While both 'rashii' and 'mitai' can be used to describe something that is like or similar to something else, 'rashii' is used for objective information or hearsay, whereas 'mitai' is used for personal feelings or impressions. For example, "今日は暖かくて、とても春らしいですよ" is correct, but "今日は暖かくて、とても春みたいですよ" is incorrect because it implies a personal feeling rather than objective information.
While 'rashii' can be used to describe something that is like or similar to something else, it is not suitable for expressing personal feelings or impressions. For example, "今日は暖かくて、とても春らしいですよ" is correct, but "今日は暖かくて、とても春みたいですよ" is incorrect because it implies a personal feeling rather than objective information.
Pay attention to the context and the speaker's tone when using this pattern. If the speaker is expressing a personal feeling or impression, use 'mitai' instead of 'rashii'. Also, be careful not to overuse this pattern in your answers, as it can make your writing sound too casual or informal.
道がぬれていますね。夜の間に雨が______らしいです。
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