So I recently saw でしょう used instead of です, and after a quick google search it seems to have to do with uncertainty, and でしょう adding a note of uncertainty to the sentence. However, the grammar I’m going through had this example:
「何がいい？」
「ラーメンがいいでしょう。」
Here, they used でしょう when saying ramen sounds good. Is this a natural use of でしょう? And how would the sentence be different if one said 「ラーメンがいいです。」? Thanks!
Here, it’s basically asking for confirmation from the listener. “Ramen is good, don’t you think?” sort of thing. Just saying ラーメンがいいです might come across as too assertive. “We’re having ramen whether you agree or not.”
でしょう expresses a guess that might or might not be based on any information at all.
だろう serves the same function in plain speech.
There’s a really helpful explanation in the Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar under the entry for ようだ of different types of conjecture you will or will have already come across.
Isnt だろうmore masculine as well? Or used more by men like ぼく
Yeah だろう is masculine and maybe a bit course for women. Don’t quote me on that though.
I quote you on this. I agree, but it is not unheard of for women to use this. In 1Q84 you hear it in Aomame’s inner monologue. She might not use it out loud, though, even if she was speaking ため口.
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