どうも (doumo)

Related patterns3

Similar

かもしれない
かもしれない keeps several possibilities open (風邪かぜかもしれない). どうも says the speaker already leans one way, without knowing why (どうも風邪かぜらしい).

Combines with

らしい
らしい normally points at an outside source you could ask about. どうも makes the source unnameable, turning it into the speaker's own hunch.
ようだ
ようだ alone presents the inference as reasoned from evidence at hand. どうも concedes the speaker cannot show that evidence, softening the diagnosis.

All examples9

somehow; it seems — an impression with no single piece of evidence

この時計とけい、どうも遅おくれるようだ。
kono tokei, doumo okureru you da.
This clock seems to run slow for some reason. neutral
熱ねつはないが、どうも風邪かぜをひいたようだ。
netsu wa nai ga, doumo kaze o hiita you da.
I have no fever, but somehow it seems I've caught a cold. neutral
あの二人ふたり、どうも付つき合あってるらしいよ。
ano futari, doumo tsukiatteru rashii yo.
Those two seem to be going out, from what I can tell. casual
この数字すうじ、どうもおかしい。
kono suuji, doumo okashii.
This figure is somehow odd. neutral
機械きかいの音おとが、どうも変へんだ。
kikai no oto ga, doumo hen da.
There's something odd about the sound the machine is making. neutral
先方せんぽうは、どうも別べつの案あんを考かんがえているみたいです。
senpou wa, doumo betsu no an o kangaete iru mitai desu.
The other side seem to have a different plan in mind. neutral

just … not — something keeps failing and the speaker can't say why

何度なんど説明せつめいしても、どうも伝つたわらない。
nando setsumei shite mo, doumo tsutawaranai.
However often I explain, it somehow doesn't get through. neutral
新あたらしい職場しょくばに、どうも慣なれない。
atarashii shokuba ni, doumo narenai.
I just don't get used to the new workplace. neutral
昨日きのうから、どうも調子ちょうしが出でないんだよね。
kinou kara, doumo choushi ga denai n da yo ne.
I just haven't been on form since yesterday. casual

How it's formed8

Notes

Standing alone, or in front of ありがとう and すみません, どうも is a
politeness formula rather than this adverb — どうも、先日せんじつは。 thanks
and apologises at once without saying which.