I heard that; it is said that (そうだ) – Japanese Grammar そうだ (sou da [1])

Q: What JLPT level is そうだ?

JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Q: How do you use そうだ in a sentence?

Attach そうだ to the appropriate verb or noun form. I heard that; it is said that

Q: Is そうだ formal or casual Japanese?

そうだ can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

そうだ

N4 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

sou da [1]

I heard that; it is said that

し shi たらどう tara dou てあげる te ageru 場合は baai wa はずがない hazu ga nai 続ける tsuzukeru と聞いた to kiita じゃないか janai ka かどうか ka dou ka ているところ teiru tokoro なさる nasaru られる rareru いたします itashimasu 頃 koro / goro やっと yatto きっと kitto ように / ような you ni / you na なければいけない nakereba ikenai て / で te / de おきに oki ni し shi たらどう tara dou てあげる te ageru 場合は baai wa はずがない hazu ga nai 続ける tsuzukeru と聞いた to kiita じゃないか janai ka かどうか ka dou ka ているところ teiru tokoro なさる nasaru られる rareru いたします itashimasu 頃 koro / goro やっと yatto きっと kitto ように / ような you ni / you na なければいけない nakereba ikenai て / で te / de おきに oki ni

🃏 Flashcard

そうだ

sou da [1]

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I heard that; it is said that

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N4

Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Reading sou da [1]

Post ID 50761

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

I heard that; it is said that

📖 How to use it

Expresses hearsay or reported information, meaning 'I heard that' or 'it is said that'.

Attaches to Attach to the plain present or past form of verbs and adjectives. For nouns and na-adjectives, attach だ before そうだ (e.g., 田中さんだそうだ). For verbs and adjectives, use the plain form (e.g., 行くそうだ, 楽しいそうだ).

This そうだ is used when you are reporting something you heard from someone else. It shows that the information is not from your own direct experience. For example, if a friend told you that a new restaurant is good, you might say 'あのレストランはおいしいそうだ' (I heard that restaurant is good). You are not saying you tried it yourself, just relaying what you heard.

Formally, it can also be used for general knowledge, like '日本は四季があるそうだ' (It is said that Japan has four seasons). In speech, it can be shortened to そう, as in '明日は雨が降るそう' (I heard it will rain tomorrow), but this is casual.

Be careful: there is another そうだ that means 'looks like' (e.g., おいしそうだ = looks delicious). That one attaches to the stem of verbs and adjectives (e.g., 食べそうだ, 楽しそうだ), not the plain form. So 'おいしいそうだ' (hearsay) vs 'おいしそうだ' (appearance) are different.

天気予報によると、明日は雨が降るそうです。

Tenki yohou ni yoru to, ashita wa ame ga furu sou desu.

According to the weather forecast, it's supposed to rain tomorrow.

田中さんは来週結婚するそうだ。

Tanaka-san wa raishuu kekkon suru sou da.

I heard that Tanaka is getting married next week.

あの映画はとても面白いそうだ。

Ano eiga wa totemo omoshiroi sou da.

I've heard that movie is very interesting.

Not そうだ (appearance/looks like) and らしい (seems/hearsay) The appearance そうだ attaches to the stem (e.g., おいしそう) and describes what you see. The hearsay そうだ attaches to the plain form (e.g., おいしいそう) and reports what you heard. らしい also expresses hearsay but is more based on indirect evidence or general reputation, while そうだ is a direct quote or report from a source.

Register Neutral; used in both speech and writing, but the plain form そうだ is more common in writing or polite conversation. In casual speech, そう is often used.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

そうだ

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat そうだ three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Flip Before Reading

Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.

✍️

Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using そうだ. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns

← Previous

それでも

but still; and yet; even so

そうだ

looks like; appears like

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern そうだ mean? ▼

I heard that; it is said that

What JLPT level is そうだ? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use そうだ in a sentence? ▼

Attach そうだ (sou da [1]) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is そうだ formal or casual Japanese? ▼

そうだ is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember そうだ long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.