Looks Like / Appearance (~sou da)
〜そうだ（様態）
~そうだ (appearance) expresses a judgment based on visual observation — 'it looks like' or 'it seems.'
Pattern
Verb masu-stem + そうだ | i-adj stem (drop い) + そうだ | na-adj stem + そうだ | いい → よさそうだ | ない → なさそうだ
Explanation
The appearance ~そうだ is used when the speaker makes a judgment based on what they directly observe. It attaches to the verb stem or adjective stem and expresses 'it looks like it will...' or 'it looks...' For verbs: masu-stem + そうだ (降りそうだ — it looks like it will rain). For i-adjectives: drop い and add そうだ (おいしそうだ — it looks delicious). For na-adjectives: stem + そうだ (元気そうだ — they look healthy).
The negative forms are important: いい becomes よさそうだ (not いさそうだ), and ない becomes なさそうだ. The negative of the overall expression is ~そうにない or ~そうもない (it doesn't look like it will happen).
This is different from hearsay ~そうだ, which follows the plain form of the verb/adjective and means 'I heard that...' The appearance form connects to the stem; the hearsay form connects to the complete word.
Examples
このケーキはおいしそうだ。
このけーきはおいしそうだ。
kono keeki wa oishisou da.
This cake looks delicious.
雨が降りそうだ。
あめがふりそうだ。
ame ga furisou da.
It looks like it's going to rain.
彼は元気そうだった。
かれはげんきそうだった。
kare wa genkisou datta.
He looked healthy.
この問題は難しくなさそうだ。
このもんだいはむずかしくなさそうだ。
kono mondai wa muzukashiku nasasou da.
This problem doesn't look difficult.
Common Mistakes
Wrong
おいしいそうだ (meaning 'looks delicious')
Correct
おいしそうだ
For appearance, drop い from i-adjectives. おいしいそうだ (with い) is the hearsay form meaning 'I heard it's delicious.'
Wrong
いそうだ (meaning 'looks good')
Correct
よさそうだ
いい has an irregular form: よさそうだ. Do not use いそうだ.
Wrong
ないそうだ (meaning 'looks like there isn't')
Correct
なさそうだ
ない becomes なさそうだ for appearance. ないそうだ is hearsay ('I heard there isn't').
Related Grammar Points
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