Supposed to be: 〜はずだ
Plain form + はずです; noun + の はず; な-adj + な はず
Plain form + はずだ (noun + の, な-adj + な): “it should be the case”, a logical expectation. はずが ない: “no way that”; はずだった: “was supposed to”.
In short
〜はずだ expresses a logical expectation: from what I know, it's supposed to be the case. “He should…, he ought to…”. It isn't an obligation; it's a deduction. In the negative, はずが ない means “there's no way that”.
- 田中さんは 九時に 出たから、もう 着いた はずです。たなかさんは くじに でたから、もう ついた はずです。Mr Tanaka left at 9, so he should have arrived by now.
- この 時間なら、店は 開いて いる はずです。この じかんなら、みせは あいて いる はずです。At this time of day, the shop should be open.
- 山田さんは 今日 休みの はずです。やまださんは きょう やすみの はずです。Mr Yamada is supposed to be off today.
- そんな はずは ありません。そんな はずは ありません。That can't be right.
The basics
はず is a noun meaning “what's supposed to be”. You know your friend left at 9 and the journey takes 30 minutes: at 10, he もう 着いた はずだ, he should have arrived. You have no proof, but logic says so.
In English, that's “should”, “ought to”, “is supposed to”. Careful: this “should” is a deduction, never an obligation.
Mr Tanaka should have arrived by now.
- noun
- other
- verb
- grammatical form
- かぎは かばんの 中に ある はずなんですが…かぎは かばんの なかに ある はずなんですが…The key should be in my bag, but…
How to form it
はず is a noun: it attaches like any noun, with the plain form for verbs and い-adjectives, な for な-adjectives, の for nouns.
| Type | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb | plain + はず | 来る はず / 来た はず |
| い-adjective | plain + はず | 高い はず |
| な-adjective | 〜な はず | 静かな はず |
| noun | 〜の はず | 休みの はず |
- あの ホテルは 駅から 近い はずです。あの ホテルは えきから ちかい はずです。That hotel is supposed to be near the station.
- この へんは 夜は 静かな はずです。この へんは よるは しずかな はずです。This area should be quiet at night.
ない はず or はずが ない?
Two negatives, two strengths. 〜ない はず is a negative expectation: “it shouldn't be the case”. はずが ない (or はずは ない) is a strong negative: “there's no way that”. そんな はずは ない means “that can't be!”.
In the past, はずだった says what should have happened, and didn't.
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ない はずだ | it shouldn't be the case | 田中さんは 来ない はずだ |
| 〜はずが ない | there's no way | 田中さんが 来る はずが ない |
| 〜はずだった | it was supposed to happen | 来る はずだった |
- 田中さんが そんな ことを 言う はずが ない。たなかさんが そんな ことを いう はずが ない。There's no way Mr Tanaka would say something like that.
- 電車は 八時に 着く はずだったのに、遅れました。でんしゃは はちじに つく はずだったのに、おくれました。The train was supposed to arrive at 8, but it was delayed.
はず is not “have to”
English “should” and “must” mix everything up: obligation (“I must go”), plans, probability (“he must be home by now”). はず only covers logical probability. For obligation, it's 〜なければ ならない; for your own intention, it's 〜つもり.
On the certainty scale, はず ranks very high: you have good reasons. でしょう (and its plain form だろう, coming right after) is less firm, and かもしれない, later on, only gives a possibility.
| In English | In Japanese |
|---|---|
| He should have arrived by now (logically). | 着いた はずだ |
| I have to go (obligation). | 行かなければ ならない |
| I'm leaving tomorrow (that's my plan). | あした 出る つもりだ |
Common mistakes
- Using はず for your own intention: “I'm going to Japan next year” (a plan) is 行く つもりだ.
- Mixing up ない はず (“shouldn't be”) and はずが ない (“no way that”).
- Translating a moral obligation with はず: “you should apologise” is あやまらなければ ならない.
8 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N4 point is on the Sennichimae Line (Nights out) of the Osaka subway.