Structure
Verb + よう + だ
[い]Adjective + よう + だ
[な]Adjective + な + よう + だ
Noun + の + よう + だ
Details
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Standard
使用域
一般
About ようだ
In a similar way to みたい, ようだ is used when making observations about something in Japanese. This auxiliary verb is used to express three primary things.
たとえ - Using (A) as an example to highlight the way that (B) looks/is acting.
推定 - Using (A) as a reason for an assumption made about (B).
例示 - Presenting (A) as an example of what (B) is.
ようだ is usually based on direct information/experience, and shows that the speaker has high confidence in what they are saying. It may also frequently appear in its kanji form, 様だ.
ようだ can be used with any verb, い-Adjective, な-Adjective, or noun. However, it requires な before it when used with な-Adjectives, or の when used with nouns.
たとえ - Using (A) as an example to highlight the way that (B) looks/is acting.
推定 - Using (A) as a reason for an assumption made about (B).
例示 - Presenting (A) as an example of what (B) is.
ようだ is usually based on direct information/experience, and shows that the speaker has high confidence in what they are saying. It may also frequently appear in its kanji form, 様だ.
ようだ can be used with any verb, い-Adjective, な-Adjective, or noun. However, it requires な before it when used with な-Adjectives, or の when used with nouns.
- ここに大きなビルが出来るようだ。It seems like a big building will be made here.
- あそこのプールは深い様だ。It seems like the pool over there is deep.
- 彼は明日のテストに自信があると皆に言っているが、本当は不安なようだ。He is telling everyone that he is confident about the test tomorrow, but it seems like he is actually worried.
- ヨーダは宇宙人のようだ。Yoda appears to be an alien.
Caution
ようだ is considerably more formal than みたい, and is therefore less common in casual conversation. Synonyms
みたい
Like, Similar to, Resembling
Not studied yet
ようでは・ようじゃ
If, If it is true that
Not studied yet
そうに・そうな
Seem, Look like, Sound
Not studied yet
ように・ような
As・like, Just like
Not studied yet
らしい ①
Seems like, Apparently, I heard
Not studied yet
そうだ
I heard that, It is said that
Not studied yet
にみえる
To look, To seem, To appear
Not studied yet
とみえる
It seems that, It can be deduced, One can conclude that
Not studied yet
ときいた
I heard that
Not studied yet
かのようだ
As if, Just like
Not studied yet
Examples
彼はここに来ないようだ。
It seems like he won't come here.
今日の天気は台風のようだ。
Today's weather looks like a typhoon.
彼の話し方は歌っているようだ。
His way of speaking seems like singing.
ほとんど無くなっているようだ。
It seems that most of it is gone.
あの人はお金を持っていないようだが、本当はお金持ち。
That person looks like he doesn't have any money, but he really is rich.
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Online
Difference between そうです、ようです、だろう and らしいです
BriefJapanese
そうだ vs. ようだ [video]
JapanesePod101
The many faces of よう
ように Chart [Image]
All uses of よう explained
BriefJapanese
Offline
みんなの日本語 II
Page 138 [CH 47]
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 1 & 547
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 258
[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 72
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ようだ – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (12 in total)
Chiinox
Why is
このコーラは苦い。まるでコーヒーがします
not accepted as an answer, to mean “This cola is bitter. It tastes like coffee.”?My understanding is that がする can be used to talk about senses, to say something smells/tastes/looks like something, but here the review question does not accept this, expecting のようだ instead.
IcyIceBear
Welcome to the community
From what I know of the まるで point, it likes to have a みたい or よう tossed in. Not saying it does or doesn’t work with がする because I honestly don’t know. But if the review is testing ようだ it’s gonna want you to use ようだ. Usually it will nudge you in the right direction if you answer with a synonym of sorts without failing you on it, so this leads me to believe you can’t use まるで with がする, or that it doesn’t want you to say it “tastes like coffee” just that it’s bitter " like coffee. " In the latter case, maybe just a translation confusion
This cola is bitter. Just like coffee.
まるで point for reference
Fuga
Hey there @Chiinox !
You are correct that がする is used when talking about senses, however, the noun before がする must be a sensory noun (匂い・香り・味・感じ・etc.). Another reason why がする can’t be used here is because まるで is usually paired with ようだ to emphasize the similarity, and pairing it with がする alone makes the sentence very unnatural.
So, if you want to use がする in this sentence you would either change the sentence a bit to say, コーヒーの味がします (it gives off coffee flavor) or まるでコーヒーのような味がします(It almost tastes like coffee).
I hope this clears it up a little!
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