- JLPT N4
ようだ (looks like)
NikoBefore reading this lesson, I recommend reviewing this one: JLPT N4: みたいだ (just like).
You'll find that みたいだ is quite similar to...
JLPT N4: ようだ (looks like; is like)
While みたいだ is quite a conversational phrase, ようだ has a stiffer feel to it.
You can use it in spoken language, but it doesn't sound casual.
An example:
お父さんはいつもだらだらしていて、ナマケモノのようです。
おとうさん は いつも だらだら していて、 ナマケモノ の ようです。
My dad doesn't do anything; he's like a sloth.
怠け者 (なまけもの) means something like "lazy person" or "slothful person."
When written in katakana, though, ナマケモノ typically refers to the animal the "sloth."
Here's the Japanese Wikipedia article on ナマケモノ. On that page, you'll see that there is technically a kanji for this word: 樹懶. I don't think you need to learn it, though.
So, ナマケモノのよう means "like a sloth."
Let's look at one more example.
See if you can catch the word pattern that is used with ようだ：
愛犬が死んだときは、子供のように泣いてしまいました。
あいけん が しんだ とき は、 こども の ように ないてしまいました。
When my (beloved) dog died, I cried like a little kid.
子供のよう
→ like a child
👷 Construction 👷
Generally speaking, you should put a NOUN, followed by the particle の, then ようだ：
NOUN ＋ の ＋ ようだ
In addition to ようだ (or ようです), we also have sentences with ような and ように (because よう acts as a na-adjective).
So memorizing these patterns may be helpful:
NOUN ＋ の ＋ ようだ・ようです
NOUN ＋ の ＋ ような ＋ NOUN
NOUN ＋ の ＋ ように ＋ ADJECTIVE／VERB (or VERB phrase)
ようだ is nice when you want to make some flowery similes:
彼女の心は海のように広く、空のように澄んでいる。
かのじょ の こころ は うみ の ように ひろく、 そら の ように すんでいる。
Her heart is as vast as the ocean, and as pure as the sky.
Using everyday language is OK, too:
今日は真冬のような寒さですね。
きょう は まふゆ の ような さむさ です ね。
It’s as cold as the middle of winter today, isn’t it?
Lastly, note that we don't necessarily have to have "NOUN ＋ の" right before ようだ.
Here we have a VERB right before it:
時々、昔の彼女から思い出したように連絡が来る。
ときどき、 むかし の かのじょ から おもいだした ように れんらく が くる。
Sometimes, my ex-girlfriend (from long ago) contacts me as if she’d just remembered me.
You'll find that よう shows up in quite a few JLPT grammar points. We'll take them one at a time.
We've already seen some of them:
- JLPT N3: ように (so that)
- JLPT N2: かのように
Niko
