らしい ①

Seems like, Apparently, I heard

カシキさんの彼氏かれしはカッコいいらしいよ。

I heard that Kashiki-san's boyfriend is handsome.

Explanation

「らしい」 means 'I hear that …' or 'it seems …': a conclusion drawn from what you were told, from the news, or from outside signs, without the speaker taking full responsibility.

「天気予報によると、明日は雨らしい」 (According to the forecast, it seems it will rain tomorrow).

There is usually an outside source of information.

Mixed up with

「そうだ」 (hearsay) passes on what you heard as it is. 「らしい」 means you took that information and reasoned 'so it seems'.

「ようだ」 relies more on what you sensed yourself; 「らしい」 relies on indirect information, and the speaker stays more detached.

After a noun, 「らしい」 takes no 「だ」: 「雨らしい」. The hearsay 「そうだ」 needs it: 「雨だそうだ」.

Note: the 「らしい」 meaning 'typical of' (男らしい) is a different use.

Examples

タカギ先輩せんぱいがさっき言いっていたことは本当ほんとうらしいですよ。
Apparently the thing that Takagi senpai was talking about earlier is true.
あの人ひとはフランス人じんらしいよ。
I heard that person is French.
彼かれはダイエットを続つづけるらしいです。
I hear he's going to keep up his diet.
ねえ、聞きいた？タケシ君くんがキヨミちゃんにプロポーズするらしいよ。
Hey, did you hear? It seems that Takeshi-kun is proposing to Kiyomi-chan.
今朝けさ、新聞しんぶんで読よんだんだけど、明日あしたから雪ゆきが降ふるらしいよ。
I read this in the newspaper this morning, but it appears as though it is going to start snowing tomorrow.
彼かれは姉あねのタイプじゃないらしい。
It appears that he is not my older sister's type.
あなたの元彼女もとかのじょが婚約こんやくしたらしいです。
I heard that your ex-girlfriend got engaged.
あの人ひとは会社かいしゃの社長しゃちょうらしいよ。
I heard that he is a president of a company.
日本語にほんごを話はなせなくても、日本にほんに行いけるらしい。
I hear you can go to Japan even if you can't speak Japanese.
大統領だいとうりょうがキューバに行いくらしい。
I hear the president is going to Cuba.
ブックオフに沢山たくさんの安やすい漫画まんががあるらしい。
Apparently there are lots of cheap manga at Book-Off.
明々後日しあさって退院たいいん出来できるらしい。
I hear he'll be able to leave the hospital in three days.
魔王まおうさまはしばらくマクロナルドで働はたらいていたらしい。
I heard that the Demon King worked at McRonald for some time.
また中東ちゅうとうで戦争せんそうが起おこるらしい。信しんじられない。
It seems like there is going to be another war in The Middle East. I can't believe it.
O型がたの血液けつえきは誰だれにでも輸血ゆけつできるらしい。
Apparently type O blood can be given to anyone.
台風たいふうが日本にほんの西にしの方ほうに向むかうらしい。
It appears that the typhoon is going towards the western part of Japan.

らしい ①

Explanation

Mixed up with

Examples

Tested 4 times in past papers