N4 verb-grammar

〜はずだ / 〜はずです

Should be 〜はずだ (expectation)

Meaning

A strong expectation based on logic or evidence — "should be ~ / ought to ~ / is supposed to ~". Not a moral "should" (that's べき).

Formation

[plain form] + はずだ (普通形 + はず)

Notes

Different from べき (moral "should"): はず is logical expectation ("it should be there because I put it there"). Negative: はずがない ("cannot be / there's no way"). Past: はずだった ("was supposed to but...").

Examples

彼（かれ）はもうすぐ着（つ）くはずです。

He should arrive soon.

Breakdown

かれ彼 he wa は (topic) もうすぐ soon つく着く arrive はずです should

このボタンを押（お）せば、動（うご）くはずです。

If you press this button, it should work.

Breakdown

この this ボタン button o を (object) おせば押せば if press うごく動く move はずです should

もう届（とど）いているはずです。

It should have already arrived.

Breakdown

もう already とどいている届いている has arrived はずです should

彼女（かのじょ）は三年（さんねん）も日本（にほん）にいるから、日本語（にほんご）が上手（じょうず）なはずです。

She's been in Japan for three years, so her Japanese should be good.

Breakdown

かのじょ彼女 she wa は (topic) さんねん三年 three years も (emphasis) にほん日本 Japan に in いるから because is にほんご日本語 Japanese が (subject) じょうずな上手な good はずです should

会議（かいぎ）は三（さん）時（じ）には終（お）わっているはずでした。

The meeting was supposed to be over by 3. (past expectation)

Breakdown

かいぎ会議 meeting wa は (topic) さんじ三時 3 o'clock には by おわっている終わっている has ended はずでした was supposed

⚠️ Often confused with

〜そうだ (伝聞)

I heard that 〜そうだ (hearsay)

Hearsay — "I heard that ~ / they say that ~". Reports information obtained from another so...

〜そうだ (様態) / 〜そうに / 〜そうな

Looks like 〜そうだ (conjecture)

Visual conjecture based on appearance — "looks like ~ / seems about to ~". Based on what y...

〜らしい

Apparently / seems 〜らしい

Conjecture based on some evidence or hearsay — "apparently ~ / I hear that ~ / it seems ~"...

〜みたいだ / 〜みたいな / 〜みたいに

Looks like / seems 〜みたいだ

Conjecture based on appearance or impression — "it looks like ~ / it seems ~". More casual...

〜ようだ / 〜ような / 〜ように

Appears / seems 〜ようだ

Conjecture or resemblance — "it appears that ~ / it seems ~ / like ~". More formal than み...

〜かもしれない

Might / perhaps 〜かもしれない

Expresses possibility — "might / perhaps / may". Indicates something is possible but not c...

〜はずがない / 〜はずありません

Cannot be / no way 〜はずがない

Strong denial of possibility — "there's no way ~ / it cannot be that ~ / impossible". The...

〜に違いない

Must be 〜に違いない

A confident inference — "must be ~", "I am sure ~".

〜おそれがある

There is a risk that 〜おそれがある

"There is a risk / danger that ~".

〜かねない

Might well 〜かねない

"Might well ~", "could easily end up ~" — of a feared outcome.