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〜でしょう

probably, …right?

Plain form + でしょう (casual: だろう)

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でしょう after a plain form makes a guess: 明日は雨が降るでしょう, "it'll probably rain tomorrow". It's what weather forecasters say every night.

After nouns and な-adjectives it replaces です directly: 学生でしょう, "(they're) probably a student".

With a rising tone it checks that the listener agrees: おいしいでしょう? "it's good, isn't it?" That's more insistent than ね.

でしょうか is a soft, polite question: 駅はどこでしょうか, "I wonder where the station is?" The casual version of the whole family is だろう (for guesses) and でしょ (for checking).

Examples

  • 明日あしたは雨あめが降ふるでしょう。

    It'll probably rain tomorrow.

  • 田中たなかさんはもう家いえに帰かえったでしょう。

    Mr Tanaka has probably gone home already.

  • このケーキ、おいしいでしょう？

    This cake's good, isn't it?

  • 明日あしたはたぶん晴はれるだろう。

    It'll probably be sunny tomorrow.

  • すみません、駅えきはあちらでしょうか。

    Excuse me, would the station be that way?

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