〜らしい

〜らしい expresses apparently / seems — communicating the speaker's degree of certainty, judgment, or attitude about a statement. Modal expressions in Japanese range from strong conviction to vague possibility, and choosing the right one conveys important nuance about how sure you are.

This is an intermediate pattern used regularly in everyday Japanese conversation and writing.

When to Use#

• When relaying information you've heard from others
• When something appears to be the case based on indirect evidence

When NOT to Use#

• When the meaning is closer to "seems / looks like" — use 〜ようだ instead
• In very formal writing where a more sophisticated expression would be expected

Example Sentences#

• 明日は寒いらしいです。 — It seems that tomorrow will be cold.
• 二人は別れたらしいです。 — They apparently broke up.
• 彼女は有名な歌手らしいです。 — She is apparently a famous singer.

Practice#

Try reading these sentences aloud, then check the translation and vocabulary:

Common Mistakes#

1. Confusing 〜らしい with 〜ようだ — While both are related, 〜らしい expresses "apparently / seems" whereas 〜ようだ expresses "seems / looks like." Pay attention to the specific nuance each pattern conveys.
2. Direct translation from English — The concept expressed by 〜らしい may not map one-to-one with its English translation. Focus on understanding the Japanese usage through example sentences rather than relying on the English gloss.

Related Patterns#

• 〜っぽい (-ish / -like / tend to) — Compare
• 〜ようだ (seems / looks like) — Compare