はず

はず

noun

should be, supposed to

1. should be, ought to be, supposed to

Indicates expectation based on reasoning or evidence.

彼(かれ)は来(く)るはずだ。

He should come. / He's supposed to come.

ここにあるはずなのに。

It should be here (but it isn't).

知(し)っているはずがない。

There's no way they know.

電車(でんしゃ)はもう着(つ)いているはずです。

The train should have arrived by now.

彼女(かのじょ)なら上手(じょうず)にできるはずだと思(おも)っていたが、予想(よそう)以上(いじょう)の出来(でき)だった。

I thought she should be able to do it well, but the result exceeded my expectations.

はず expresses logical expectation - what should be true based on reasoning or evidence. It's grammatically a noun.

GRAMMAR PATTERNS:

Verb (plain) + はず: 来(く)るはずだ (should come)
い-adj + はず: 高(たか)いはずだ (should be expensive)
な-adj + な + はず: 静(しず)かなはずだ (should be quiet)
Noun + の + はず: 学生(がくせい)のはずだ (should be a student)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

～はずだ: should be ~, is supposed to ~
～はずがない: there's no way that ~
～はずだったのに: was supposed to ~, but...

DISTINCTION:

はず: logical expectation (based on evidence/reasoning)
べき: moral obligation (should do, ought to)
はずがない expresses strong disbelief, not just negation

Related Words

Related: かもしれない (possibility)

core

Added 2026.1.8 21:33 · Revised 2026.5.16 7:08

01500/01557_hazu