〜らしい

JLPT N4:

apparently / typical of

Says something seems to be true from what you heard or noticed: "apparently", "it seems". After a noun it can also mean "typical of".

How to form it

  • Put the plain form before らしい: 来(く)るらしい, 高(たか)いらしい.
  • Nouns and な-adjectives take らしい directly, with no だ: 病気(びょうき)らしい, 静(しず)からしい.
  • らしい conjugates like an い-adjective: らしいです, らしかった.
  • Noun + らしい can mean "typical of" or "a real…": 彼女(かのじょ)らしい (just like her), 春(はる)らしい天気(てんき) (real spring weather).

Examples

彼(かれ)は病気(びょうき)らしいです。

Apparently he's ill.

それは彼女(かのじょ)らしい行動(こうどう)だ。

That's typical of her.

Notes

  • It keeps some distance from the claim: you are passing on what you have gathered, not stating it as your own judgement.

Similar meaning