らしい
🃏 Flashcard
らしい
rashii
Tap to reveal usage
it seems like; I heard; apparently~
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
rashii
Post ID
50751
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
it seems like; I heard; apparently~
📖 How to use it
Expresses hearsay or appearance based on evidence, meaning 'it seems like' or 'I heard'.
Attaches to
Attach to the plain form of verbs and adjectives, and to nouns directly. For nouns, attach らしい directly (e.g., 先生らしい). For na-adjectives, attach らしい to the stem (e.g., 静からしい). For i-adjectives and verbs, use the plain present or past form.
らしい is used when you have some evidence or reason to believe something, and it can also report what you have heard. It is often translated as 'seems like' or 'apparently'. For example, if you see dark clouds, you might say 雨が降るらしい. If you heard from a friend that a teacher is strict, you might say あの先生は厳しいらしい.
Unlike そうです (which you attach to the stem for appearance), らしい attaches to the plain form. It is also different from ようです, which is more formal and based on more direct evidence. らしい is common in everyday conversation and is neutral in politeness, so you can use it with friends or in casual settings.
明日は雨が降るらしい。
Ashita wa ame ga furu rashii.
It seems it will rain tomorrow.
田中さんは来週日本へ行くらしい。
Tanaka-san wa raishuu Nihon e iku rashii.
I heard Tanaka is going to Japan next week.
この店のラーメンはおいしいらしい。
Kono mise no raamen wa oishii rashii.
Apparently, the ramen at this shop is delicious.
Not そうです (hearsay) and そうです (appearance)
For hearsay, そうです attaches to the plain form (e.g., 雨が降るそうです) but is more direct reporting. For appearance, そうです attaches to the stem (e.g., 雨が降りそうです) meaning 'looks like it will rain'. らしい is used when you have indirect evidence or have heard from others, and it attaches to the plain form.
Register
Neutral, used in both conversation and writing, but slightly more common in spoken Japanese.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
らしい
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat らしい 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 らしい. 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 らしい mean?
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It seems like; I heard; apparently~
What JLPT level is らしい?
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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 らしい in a sentence?
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Attach らしい (rashii) 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 らしい formal or casual Japanese?
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らしい is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember らしい 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.