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JLPT N4 grammar comparison

〜そうだ (appearance) "looks like / seems about to" vs 〜ようだ / 〜みたいだ "it seems / it appears / like"

By Nihongo PathUpdated

The difference

From the 〜そうだ (appearance) "looks like / seems about to" lesson

〜ようだ / 〜みたいだ "it seems / it appears / like": ようだ is a judgement from various clues, not only sight, and can follow nouns (学生のようだ). そうだ is instant visual impression.

From the 〜ようだ / 〜みたいだ "it seems / it appears / like" lesson

〜そうだ (appearance) "looks like / seems about to": そうだ is an instant impression of what you see (おいしそう). ようだ is a considered judgement and can follow nouns.

Side by side

〜そうだ (appearance) "looks like / seems about to"

sou da (youtai) · JLPT N4

Meaning
Judgement from direct visual impression: "looks (delicious)", "about to (fall)".
Formation
V-ます stem + そうだ: 降りそうだ, 落ちそうだ, 泣きそうだい-adjective (drop い) + そうだ: おいしそうだ, 高そうだ; いい → よさそうだ; ない → なさそうだな-adjective stem + そうだ: 元気そうだ, 暇そうだNegative: verbs 〜そうもない / そうにない; adjectives 〜くなさそう / 〜じゃなさそうBefore a noun: 〜そうな N; as an adverb: 〜そうに

  1. 雨が降りそうです。

    あめが ふりそうです。

    It looks like it's going to rain.

  2. 彼は元気そうに見えました。

    かれは げんきそうに みえました。

    He looked well.

Full lesson on 〜そうだ (appearance) "looks like / seems about to"

〜ようだ / 〜みたいだ "it seems / it appears / like"

you da / mitai da · JLPT N4

Meaning
Judgement based on the speaker's observation or senses ("it seems"), or a resemblance ("like").
Formation
V-plain + ようだ / みたいだ: 来たようだ, 来たみたいだい-adjective + ようだ / みたいだ: 高いようだな-adjective + なようだ / + みたいだ: 静かなようだ / 静かみたいだNoun + のようだ / + みたいだ: 学生のようだ / 学生みたいだAdverb: ように / みたいに; before a noun: ような / みたいな

  1. 誰かが来たようです。

    だれかが きたようです。

    It seems someone has come.

  2. 彼女は人形のようにかわいい。

    かのじょは にんぎょうのように かわいい。

    She is as cute as a doll.

Full lesson on 〜ようだ / 〜みたいだ "it seems / it appears / like"

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between 〜そうだ (appearance) "looks like / seems about to" and 〜ようだ / 〜みたいだ "it seems / it appears / like"?

ようだ is a judgement from various clues, not only sight, and can follow nouns (学生のようだ). そうだ is instant visual impression.

When do you use 〜ようだ / 〜みたいだ "it seems / it appears / like" instead of 〜そうだ (appearance) "looks like / seems about to"?

そうだ is an instant impression of what you see (おいしそう). ようだ is a considered judgement and can follow nouns.