〜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: 来るらしい, 高いらしい.
- Nouns and な-adjectives take らしい directly, with no だ: 病気らしい, 静からしい.
- 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…": 彼女らしい (just like her), 春らしい天気 (real spring weather).
Examples
彼は病気らしいです。
Apparently he's ill.
それは彼女らしい行動だ。
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
- 〜そうだI heard that
"I heard that": a plain report of what you heard.
- 〜ようだseems / is like
"Seems": a judgement from your own observation.
- 〜みたいだseems / looks like
"Seems" or "looks like" in casual speech.