In Japanese, there are many expressions expressing similarity or hearsay. It is important to understand the nuance of each.
よう
To use it, put よう between verbs or adjectives and auxiliaries like です ou だ.
1) Verbs : base form + よう + だ ouです
治る → 治るようだ or です
2) Adjectives -i : base form + よう + だ or です
楽しい →楽しいようだ ouです
3) Adjectives -na : base form + よう + だ or です
確かな →確かなようだ ouです
4) Nouns : nouns + の + よう + だ or です
りんご → りんごのようだ or です
りんご → りんごのようだ or です
そろそろ帰国するようです。
It seems he will be returning to his home country soon.
状態は深刻なようだ。
It seems that the situation is serious.
彼の母は派手なようです。
It seems that his mother is flashy.
みたい
みたい has the same meaning as よう, but it is more familiar.
Place みたい after the relevant word to indicate that it looks like so.
Place みたい after the relevant word to indicate that it looks like so.
1) Verbs : base form or past form + みたい +だ or です
2) Adjectives -i : base form + みたい +だ or です
3) Adjectives -na : stem form + みたい + だ or です
4) Nouns : Noun + みたい +だ or です
彼は行くみたいです。
He seems leaving.
彼女は嬉しいみたいだ。
She looks happy.
大丈夫みたいです。
It seems to be OK.
犬みたいだ。
It look like a dog.
Conjugate the verbs and the adjectives below in みたい form.
似合う
Answer →
似合うみたいだ
Translation →
It looks good on me.
意外
Answer →
意外みたいだ
Translation →
It seems unexpected.
緩い
Answer →
緩いみたいだ
Translation →
It seems loose for me.
Exercices
Conjugate the nouns below with the みたい form.
新人
Answer →
新人みたい
Translation →
He seems to be new.
集まり
Answer →
集まりみたい
Translation →
It looks like a gathering.
For the negation, simply add じゃない to the end of the sentence.
Form
|
Examples |
Traduction
|
---|---|---|
Affirmative
|
家みたい。 |
It looks like a house.
|
Interrogative
|
家みたいじゃない?
|
It looks like a house, doesn"t it?
|
Negative
|
家じゃないみたい。
|
It doesn't look like a house.
|
The past tense forms are as follows :
Form
|
Examples |
Translation
|
---|---|---|
Affirmative
|
雪みたいだった。 |
It looked like snow.
|
Negative
|
雪みたいじゃなかった。
|
It didn't look like snow. |
明日晴れるみたいじゃない?
It seems to me that the weather will be nice tomorrow, right?
この髪型だと、自分じゃないみたい。
It doesn't look like me with this hairstyle.
Conjugate the sentences below in the negative form.
彼は俳優みたい。
Answer →
彼は俳優みたいじゃない。
Translation →
He doesn't look like an actor.
この花は桜みたいです。
Answer →
この花は桜みたいじゃない。
Translation →
This flower doesn't look like a cherry blossom.
Exercices
Conjugate the sentences in past below in negative form.
あの人はアスリートみたいだった。
Answer →
あの人はアスリートみたいじゃなかった。
Translation →
That man didn't look like an athlete.
部屋は病室みたいだった。
Answer →
部屋は病室みたいじゃなかった。
Translation →
The room didn't look like a hospital room.
っぽい
っぽい is also one of the expressions to describe the similarity.
This is the most familiar version of these phrases presented. Therefore, pay attention to the context when using it.
1) Nouns : Noun + っぽい
2) Adjectives -i : base form + っぽい
The -i adjectives that can be used with っぽい are limited.
大人っぽいって言われる。
People say I seem mature for my age. (I look like an adult)
猫っぽい。
It looks like a cat.
っぽい |
99998476614604 |
っぽい |
99998478151549 |
Exercices
Conjugate the words below in the っぽい form.
仕方がない
Answer →
仕方がないっぽい
Translation →
It seems that we have no choice.
微妙
Answer →
微妙っぽい
Translation →
It seems iffy.
宣伝
Answer →
宣伝っぽい
Translation →
It looks like a promotion.
Leave Comment