N4-G-064
Verb (plain form) + そうです (I heard that [Verb])
Core / Hearsay & Reporting Information
👀 Layer A: Visual Guide
📝 Quick Summary
This grammar pattern connects to the Plain Form of a verb to express hearsay (“I heard that…”, “They say that…”, “According to…”). It allows you to report information received from another person, the news, or a written source.
Structure: [Verb Plain Form] + そうです
Example 1: ニュースによると、あした あめが ふる そうです (According to the news, I heard it will rain tomorrow).
Example 2: たなかさんは らいげつ けっこんする そうです (I heard Tanaka-san is getting married next month).
🔍 Layer B: Deepening
💡 Raya’s Hack
The Big JLPT Trap: Plain Form vs. Masu-Stem!
Be extremely careful distinguishing hearsay from visual conjecture:
– Plain Form + そうです: Hearsay (“I heard that…”) ➡️ 雨が ふる そうです (I heard it will rain).
– Masu-Stem + そうです: Visual impression (“It looks like…”) ➡️ 雨が ふり そうです (It looks like it’s going to rain).
Pair hearsay sentences with 〜によると (According to…) to clearly cite your information source!
🚧 Joy’s Mistake
Scene: Joy is telling Ken about Tanaka-san’s arrival based on a message.
Joy: 「たなかさんは きょう きます そうです。」
(Tanaka-san wa kyou kimasu sou desu.)
❌ Used polite “kimasu” before そうです!
Why?
Joy used the polite form kimasu directly before sou desu. For hearsay, the clause before sou desu MUST be in the Plain Form (Short form).
Correct: 「たなかさんは きょう くる そうです。」 (I heard Tanaka-san is coming today.)
🔥 Layer C: Retrieval Practice Loop
Retrieve and apply! Express hearsay with verbs. (Hiragana and English only)
Level 1: Structure Building (Verb Plain + そうです)
Q1. I heard [someone] will come (きます ➡️ くる)
Q2. I heard it will rain (ふります ➡️ ふる)
Q3. I heard [they] got married (けっこんしました ➡️ けっこんした)
Q4. I heard [they] will not go (いきません ➡️ いかない)
Q5. I heard [they] quit the company (やめました ➡️ やめた)
Level 2: Full Sentences
Q6. According to the news, I heard it will rain tomorrow. (ニュースによると / あした あめが ふる)
Q7. I heard Tanaka-san is getting married next month. (たなかさんは らいげつ / けっこんする)
Q8. According to Yamada-san, I heard he will not go to the party. (やまださんによると / パーティーに いかない)
Q9. I heard that teacher quit the school. (あの せんせいは がっこうを / やめた)
Q10. According to the newspaper, I heard a new store opened. (しんぶんによると / あたらしい お店が あいた)
