JLPT N5 · Guessing & hearsay
でしょう (deshou)
～でしょう — a polite “probably ～ / right?”
In short · A polite way of guessing “probably ～” or checking “～, right?” It is the polite counterpart of だろう and is common in weather forecasts.
Pattern
-
動詞・い形容詞の普通形＋でしょうVerb or い-adjective plain form + でしょう -
名詞・な形容詞（語幹）＋でしょうNoun or な-adjective stem + でしょう (雨でしょう)
Guessing
With a falling tone it means “probably ～.” 明日は雨でしょう expresses the expectation that it will rain.
Checking with the listener
With a rising tone it asks the listener to confirm: “～, right?” (あなたも行くでしょう？).
Difference from だろう
The meaning is the same; でしょう is polite. Use it with superiors and people you have just met.
Examples
-
明日（あした）は雨（あめ）でしょう。
Ashita wa ame deshō.
It will probably rain tomorrow.
-
あなたも行（い）くでしょう。
Anata mo iku deshō.
You'll go too, right?
-
この料理（りょうり）はおいしいでしょう。
Kono ryōri wa oishii deshō.
This food is delicious, right?
Common mistakes
- Using でしょう for something you clearly know yourself sounds unnatural.
- The meaning depends on the tone: rising for checking, falling for guessing.
More grammar points
- だろう ～だろう — “probably ～”
- は は (wa) — the topic particle
- を を (o) — the object particle
- に に (ni) — time, destination, location
- で で (de) — place of action & means
- と と (to) — and / together with
- の の (no) — possessive & noun linker
- へ へ (e) — direction
- も も (mo) — also / too
- か か (ka) — the question marker
- です です (desu) — the copula
- から から・まで — from … to …
- より より (yori) — than (comparison)
- ます 〜ます — the polite verb form
- て て-form — connecting & requests
- ない ない-form — the plain negative
- た た-form — the plain past
- い い-adjectives
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