でしょう
🃏 Flashcard
でしょう
deshou
Tap to reveal usage
I think; it seems; probably; right?
N5
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N5
Beginner · Basic sentence structures
Reading
deshou
Post ID
50608
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
I think; it seems; probably; right?
📖 How to use it
Expresses probability, conjecture, or seeking agreement, similar to 'probably' or 'right?'
Attaches to
Attaches to the plain form of verbs and adjectives, or to nouns and な-adjectives followed by の (e.g., 行くでしょう, 高いでしょう, 学生でしょう, 静かでしょう). For な-adjectives, use なの? No, use な? Actually, for nouns and na-adjectives, attach directly to the noun or stem without の: 学生でしょう, 静かでしょう. For verbs and adjectives, use dictionary form or past tense.
でしょう is used to state what you think is probable. It's softer than a direct statement. For example, if you see dark clouds, you might say 雨が降るでしょう (It will probably rain). It can also be used to seek agreement, like a tag question. In that case, your intonation rises at the end. For instance, 明日は休みでしょう？ (Tomorrow is a holiday, right?).
明日は雨が降るでしょう。
Ashita wa ame ga furu deshou.
It will probably rain tomorrow.
そのレストランは高いでしょう。
Sono resutoran wa takai deshou.
That restaurant is probably expensive.
彼は学生でしょう。
Kare wa gakusei deshou.
He is probably a student.
Not でしょう vs. 〜でしょう (as a question) vs. かもしれません
かもしれません means 'might' and express a lower probability. でしょう is more certain. When asking for agreement, でしょう is used with rising intonation, unlike かもしれません which cannot be used that way.
Register
でしょう is polite and common in both speech and writing; in casual speech, people often use でしょう with rising intonation or shorten it to でしょ (but that's casual).
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
でしょう
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat でしょう 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 でしょう. 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 N5 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern でしょう mean?
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I think; it seems; probably; right?
What JLPT level is でしょう?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N5 — Beginner · Basic sentence structures. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use でしょう in a sentence?
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Attach でしょう (deshou) 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 でしょう formal or casual Japanese?
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でしょう is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember でしょう 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.