～そう vs ～そうに・～そうな

Introduction

Remember your new best friend そう from a few lessons back? Well, they just couldn't resist paying you another visit. This time, we'll talk about how そう can function as an adverb, or even... an adjective!

Now, you might be thinking "I know そう, and they sure ain't no adverb!" or maybe "I'm confused about many things including my purpose in life!", and I'll be straight up with you: I don't have all the answers. I can, however, teach you how to use そう as an adverb and/or adjective. So let's go ahead and get started, shall we?

そう as an adverb: I seem to be writing this article very smartly

Structure

• 

  stem form

  The "stem" of a verb, made by conjugating a verb to its ます-form and removing ます (e.g. 食べる → 食べます → 食べ).

  verb/い-adjective (い)/な-adjectiveそうにVerb
  Example:
  → マイクは嬉うれしそうに食たべている。
  "Mike seems to be eating happily.”