〜はずです

〜はずです expresses an inference the speaker firmly believes because there is clear evidence for it: 田中さんは来るはずです (Mr. Tanaka is sure to come — because he promised, or because the schedule says so). In Vietnamese it is close to "theo lý thì chắc chắn…" ("by all rights it should certainly…"). Connection: plain form + はずです; nouns add の (休みのはずです), な-adjectives add な (元気なはずです).

The strong negative form is 〜はずがない: "there's no way that could be" — denying the possibility completely: 彼がそんなことを言うはずがない (there's no way he would say such a thing).

Note: はず is an inference in the speaker's head, not a guarantee of fact — when the inference turns out wrong, Japanese speakers say 来るはずだったのに、来なかった (he was supposed to come, but he didn't). Compared with 〜かもしれない (a vague possibility), はずです expresses a far higher degree of certainty because it always rests on a concrete basis.

Examples

• 田中(たなか)さんは今日(きょう)のパーティーに来(く)るはずです。

  I'm sure Mr. Tanaka will come to today's party.

• 会議(かいぎ)は三時(さんじ)に終(お)わるはずです。

  According to the schedule, the meeting should definitely end at three o'clock.

• 彼(かれ)がそんなことを言(い)うはずがありません。

  He can't possibly have said such a thing.

Related patterns

• 〜かもしれない
• 〜だろう