Apparently, typical of: 〜らしい
Plain form ／ noun + らしい（conjugates like an い-adj）
Plain form / noun + らしい: “apparently” (something heard, a bit vague) or, after a noun, “worthy of, typical of”. Conjugates like an い-adjective.
In short
〜らしい has two meanings. After a sentence, it's “apparently, it seems”: a guess based on something you've heard or on indirect clues. After a noun, it's “worthy of, typical of”: 春らしい 天気, real spring weather. In both cases, らしい conjugates like an い-adjective.
- あの 店は 来月 閉まる らしいです。あの みせは らいげつ しまる らしいです。Apparently that shop is closing next month.
- 田中さん、会社を やめる らしいよ。たなかさん、かいしゃを やめる らしいよ。Apparently Mr Tanaka is leaving his company.
- 今日は 春らしい 天気ですね。きょうは はるらしい てんきですね。Proper spring weather today!
- 田中さんらしくない ミスですね。たなかさんらしくない ミスですね。That mistake isn't like Mr Tanaka at all.
The basics: “apparently”
First meaning: you've heard something, or noticed some clues, and you draw a conclusion without committing yourself. らしい keeps a little distance: “apparently, from what I hear”.
Like the hearsay そうだ, it comes after a plain-form sentence. But it's vaguer: you don't always know where the information comes from.
Apparently that shop is closing next month.
- noun
- verb
- grammatical form
- あしたの 試合は 中止に なった らしい。あしたの しあいは ちゅうしに なった らしい。Apparently tomorrow's match has been called off.
How to form it
Plain form + らしい. With a noun or a な-adjective, no だ: 学生らしい, 静からしい. After that, らしい conjugates like an い-adjective.
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| present | 雨らしい | apparently it's raining |
| negative | 雨じゃない らしい | apparently it isn't raining |
| らしい in the past | 雨らしかった | apparently it was raining |
| before a noun | 春らしい 天気 | real spring weather |
| adverb | 学生らしく | the way a student should |
| “unlike” | 田中さんらしくない | that's not like him |
- となりの 人は 病気らしいです。となりの ひとは びょうきらしいです。Apparently the neighbour is ill.
- この 町は 夜は 静からしい。この まちは よるは しずからしい。Apparently this town is quiet at night.
Second meaning: worthy of, typical of
After a noun, らしい can also mean “having all the qualities of”: 男らしい (manly, worthy of a man), 子どもらしい (like a real child), 春らしい (truly spring-like).
In the negative, 〜らしくない describes behaviour that doesn't fit someone: 田中さんらしくない, “that's not like him”. Only the context separates the two meanings: “学生らしい” can be “apparently he's a student” or “worthy of a student”.
- 今日は 春らしい あたたかい 日ですね。きょうは はるらしい あたたかい ひですね。It's a lovely mild spring day.
- もっと 自分らしく 生きたい。もっと じぶんらしく いきたい。I want to live more like myself.
そうだ, らしい, ようだ, みたい
Four ways of not stating something outright. The difference lies in the source of the information and the tone.
| Form | Source | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| plain + そうだ | what I've been told, clear source | neutral, I'm reporting |
| 〜らしい | what people say, indirect clues | a bit distant, vague |
| 〜ようだ | my own observations | careful |
| 〜みたい | my own observations | casual |
- ニュースに よると、あした 雨が 降るそうです。ニュースに よると、あした あめが ふるそうです。According to the news, it's going to rain tomorrow.
- あした 雨が 降る らしいよ。あした あめが ふる らしいよ。Apparently it's going to rain tomorrow.
Common mistakes
- Adding だ after a noun: 学生らしい, never “学生だらしい”.
- Mixing up the two meanings: 子どもらしい can be “apparently it's a child” or “like a real child”; the context decides.
- Using らしい to give your own opinion: for “I think that”, it's 〜と 思う.
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.