JLPT N4 grammar
〜はずだ — Meaning & Examples
Should be, based on evidence or logic. な-adj takes な, nouns take の. NOT advice — for that use 〜たほうがいい.
〜はずだ — "It Should Be"
〜はずだ means you have a reason to expect something. Evidence, a schedule, a promise, plain logic.
Formation:
verb / い-adj plain form + はず → 来るはずです
な-adjective + な + はず → 便利なはずです
noun + の + はず → 学生のはずです
彼は3時に着くはずです。
= He should arrive at 3. (that is what the timetable says)
鍵をかけたはずなのに、開いている。
= I am sure I locked it, and yet it is open.
〜はずがない = "there is no way"
そんなことあるはずがない。
= There is no way that is true.
彼が嘘をつくはずがない。
= There is no way he would lie.
Careful: はず is about your expectation, not about obligation. It never means "should" in the advice sense. For advice, use 〜たほうがいい.
❌ 早く寝るはずです。 (does not mean "you should sleep early")
✅ 早く寝たほうがいいです。 = You had better sleep early.
Practice questions
Try this question on 〜はずだ. 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%).
Practise 〜はずだ 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.
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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 〜はずだ mean?
Should be, based on evidence or logic. な-adj takes な, nouns take の. NOT advice — for that use 〜たほうがいい.
Is 〜はずだ on the JLPT N4 test?
〜はずだ 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 〜はずだ?
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.