What is the difference between [plain form of verb]～そう and [root of verb]～そう?


I heard both forms of [plain form of verb]～そう and [root of verb]～そう in an
anime I watched, reproduced below, so I'm wondering how are they different and
how to choose to use one over the other?

> 行けるそう  
>  行けそう

What are these conjugations called? And how do their negative forms look like?




そう after the plain form of a verb indicates you are reporting secondhand
information, rather than your own direct observations. 行けるそう means "it is said
that it can go." The negative form is -ないそう: 降らないそうです "They say it won't
rain."

-そう after the stem (-ます form) of a verb means "looking/sounding as if ___." 行けそう means "it looks as if it can go." It is similar to constructions like 行けるみたい or 行けるよう, but -そう emphasizes evidence of the senses rather than general "seeming." The negative form is -なさそう: できなさそう "It looks as if s/he can't do it."

(Explanation paraphrased from _Japanese: The Spoken Language_ )




そう after the plain form of a verb indicates you are reporting secondhand
information, rather than your own direct observations. 行けるそう means "it is said
that it can go." The negative form is -ないそう: 降らないそうです "They say it won't
rain."

-そう after the stem (-ます form) of a verb means "looking/sounding as if ___." 行けそう means "it looks as if it can go." It is similar to constructions like 行けるみたい or 行けるよう, but -そう emphasizes evidence of the senses rather than general "seeming." The negative form is -なさそう: できなさそう "It looks as if s/he can't do it."

(Explanation paraphrased from _Japanese: The Spoken Language_ )

