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はず

hazu

はず isn't a guess — it's the sound of things clicking into place

The picture Two gear teeth locking together. Line up what you already know and it can only land here.

Everyday expressions

Where the picture shows up in はず

  1. meshing with a timetable

    9時の電車だから、もう着いているはずです。

    ku-ji no densha da kara, mō tsuite iru hazu desu

    It's the nine o'clock train, so he should be there by now.

  2. meshing with a process

    昨日送ったので、今日届くはずです。

    kinō okutta node, kyō todoku hazu desu

    I sent it yesterday, so it should arrive today.

  3. it should mesh, but doesn't

    あれ、鍵はここにあるはずなんですが。

    are, kagi wa koko ni aru hazu na n desu ga

    Odd — the key is supposed to be right here.

    はずなんですが flags the gap: this is the calculation, and reality disagrees.

  4. meshing with a noun

    田中さんは今日休みのはずです。

    tanaka-san wa kyō yasumi no hazu desu

    Tanaka should be off today.

    Nouns and な-adjectives need の: 休みのはず.

  5. nothing meshes

    そんなはずはありません。

    sonna hazu wa arimasen

    That can't be right.

    かもしれない leaves a possibility open; はず closes it with evidence.

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