immersionlog
Sign inCreate account

〜はず

should be, is supposed to

Plain form + はずだ · Noun + のはず · な-adj + なはず

Sign up free to review this point on a spaced schedule.

はず is an expectation based on reasoning or what you know: 田中さんはもうすぐ来るはずです, "Mr Tanaka should be here soon" (he said he'd come, he's always on time).

Nouns take の (三時からのはず) and な-adjectives take な (上手なはず).

The negative はずがない means "can't possibly": そんなはずはありません, "that can't be right".

Compare its neighbours: でしょう is a plain guess, かもしれない is a possibility, and はず is "if everything's as I understand it, then…". Past はずだった is "was supposed to", often when something didn't go to plan.

Examples

  • 田中たなかさんはもうすぐ来くるはずです。

    Mr Tanaka should be here soon.

  • 荷物にもつは明日着あしたつくはずです。

    The parcel should arrive tomorrow.

  • 会議かいぎは三時さんじからのはずです。

    The meeting is supposed to start at three.

  • そんなはずはありません。

    That can't be right.

  • 日本にほんに十年住じゅうねんすんでいたから、日本語にほんごが上手じょうずなはずだ。

    He lived in Japan for ten years, so his Japanese must be good.

Related