Examples
Meaning
〜ようだ means seems, appears, or is like. It can express an inference based on evidence or a comparison where one thing resembles another.
Formation
Use ようだ after a plain-form clause. For nouns, use のようだ. For な-adjectives, use なようだ. In polite speech, use ようです.
Usage
Use 〜ようだ when you infer something from signs, evidence, atmosphere, or indirect information. You can also use it for comparisons, such as saying something is like a dream or like a movie.
Nuance
〜ようだ sounds a little more formal or written than 〜みたいだ. It is useful in careful explanations, reports, and polite speech.
Comparison
Compared with 〜そうだ for appearance, 〜ようだ is not limited to what you can see right now. It can be based on broader evidence, such as silence, messages, or a situation. Compared with 〜みたいだ, it is less casual.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is forgetting の before nouns. Say 学生のようです, not 学生ようです. With みたい, however, nouns connect directly, as in 学生みたいです.
Related Grammar
〜みたいだ
〜みたいだ means seems like or looks like. It is a conversational pattern used for inference and resemblance.
〜らしい
〜らしい expresses inference from information or the idea that something is typical of someone or something.
〜ように見える
〜ように見える means looks like or appears to. It focuses on how something appears visually to the speaker.
〜そう・〜よう・〜みたい・〜らしいの違い
This comparison page organizes 〜そう, 〜よう, 〜みたい, and 〜らしい so learners can distinguish appearance, inference, hearsay, and typicality.