そうに・そうな
🃏 Flashcard
そうに・そうな
sou ni / sou na
Tap to reveal usage
seems like; looks like
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
sou ni / sou na
Post ID
50763
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
seems like; looks like
📖 How to use it
Describes how someone or something appears based on visual impression, often with emotion or state.
Attaches to
Attach to the ます-stem (ren'youkei) of verbs, and to the stem of い-adjectives and な-adjectives. For nouns, use の＋よう, not そう.
This pattern expresses that something seems a certain way from outward appearance. With verbs, it describes how someone looks while doing an action, like 泣きそう (looks about to cry). With adjectives, it describes the appearance of a quality, like 楽しそう (looks fun). To use it, take the ます-stem of a verb (e.g., 泣きます → 泣き) or the stem of an adjective (e.g., 楽しい → 楽し). Then add そうな before a noun, or そうに before a verb or adjective. For example, 楽しそうな人 (a person who looks fun) and 楽しそうに話す (speak in a fun-looking way).
子供たちは楽しそうに遊んでいます。
Kodomotachi wa tanoshisou ni asonde imasu.
The children are playing happily (they look like they're having fun).
このケーキはおいしそうですね。
Kono keeki wa oishisou desu ne.
This cake looks delicious.
彼は疲れていて、すぐに寝そうだった。
Kare wa tsukarete ite, sugu ni nesou datta.
He was tired and looked like he would fall asleep soon.
Not ～ようだ / ～みたいだ
ようだ and みたいだ are for broader guesses or similes, while そうだ is specifically for visual appearance. Also, そうだ cannot be used with nouns directly (use のようだ), and it does not follow the plain past or ない-stem.
Register
Neutral and common in both speaking and writing; safe for everyday conversation.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
そうに・そうな
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat そうに・そうな three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
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 そうに・そうな. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern そうに・そうな mean?
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Seems like; looks like
What JLPT level is そうに・そうな?
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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 そうに・そうな in a sentence?
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Attach そうに・そうな (sou ni / sou na) 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 そうに・そうな formal or casual Japanese?
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そうに・そうな is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember そうに・そうな long-term?
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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.