JLPT N4 grammar
〜でしょう / だろう — Meaning & Examples
Probably (60–80%). Also seeks agreement (おいしいでしょう？) and softens statements. The staple of Japanese weather forecasts.
〜かもしれない and 〜でしょう
〜かもしれない — "might / maybe"
Formation: plain form + かもしれない
い-adjective: 高いかもしれない
な-adjective: 静かかもしれない (drop だ)
noun: 学生かもしれない (drop だ)
彼はもう帰ったかもしれません。
= He might have already gone home.
この店は今日休みかもしれない。
= This shop might be closed today.
Casual: かも on its own — 行くかも。 = I might go.
---
〜でしょう / だろう — "probably / I expect"
Formation: plain form + でしょう (な-adj and nouns drop だ)
明日は晴れるでしょう。
= It will probably be sunny tomorrow. (weather forecasts use this constantly)
彼は来ないでしょう。
= He probably will not come.
Two extra uses of でしょう:
1. Seeking agreement — with rising intonation:
おいしいでしょう？ = It is delicious, right?
- Softening a statement so you do not sound too blunt. This is why announcers and weather reporters live on でしょう.
Register: でしょう is polite, だろう is casual and sounds masculine in speech.
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜でしょう / だろう. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. Which expresses the LOWEST confidence?
- 〜にちがいない
- 〜はずだ
- 〜かもしれない
- 〜でしょう
Show answer
Answer: 〜かもしれない
The dial runs かもしれない (maybe, 30–50%) → でしょう (probably) → はずだ (should be) → にちがいない (must be, ~95%).
2. Why do Japanese weather forecasts use でしょう constantly?
- It is the most formal ending
- It softens a prediction so it is not stated as fact
- It means "definitely"
- It is required in written Japanese
Show answer
Answer: It softens a prediction so it is not stated as fact
でしょう = probably. It hedges the prediction politely — 明日は晴れるでしょう rather than the flat assertion 明日は晴れます.
3. To say "you should sleep early" (advice), you use?
- 早く寝たほうがいいです
- 早く寝るはずです
- 早く寝るでしょう
- 早く寝るかもしれない
Show answer
Answer: 早く寝たほうがいいです
はず is NOT advice — it means "I expect that." For advice use 〜たほうがいい: 早く寝たほうがいいです.
Practise 〜でしょう / だろう in the free app
This point is part of the “🤔 How Sure Are You? — でしょう・かもしれない・はず・にちがいない” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N4 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
Free on iPhone and Android · No ads
Related N4 grammar points
From the same lesson: 🤔 How Sure Are You? — でしょう・かもしれない・はず・にちがいない
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜でしょう / だろう mean?
Probably (60–80%). Also seeks agreement (おいしいでしょう？) and softens statements. The staple of Japanese weather forecasts.
Is 〜でしょう / だろう on the JLPT N4 test?
〜でしょう / だろう is taught in the JLPT N4 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “🤔 How Sure Are You? — でしょう・かもしれない・はず・にちがいない”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜でしょう / だろう?
Open the “🤔 How Sure Are You? — でしょう・かもしれない・はず・にちがいない” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N4 mock exams, with no ads.