Similarity and Hearsay

Vocabulary

田中(たなか)た・なかTanaka (name)

人(ひと)ひとperson

おいしいi-adjdelicious

雨(あめ)あめrain

降(ふ)るふ・るu-verbto fall (rain)

夢(ゆめ)ゆめdream

元気(げんき)げん・きna-adjhealthy

暑(あつ)いあつ・いi-adjhot

子供(こども)こ・どもchild

How to say something looks like or seems like something else.

よう (Seems/Likeness)

Formal expression for similarity. Nouns/Verbs behave like nouns.

あの人(ひと)は田中(たなか)さんのようだ。That person seems like Tanaka-san.

夢(ゆめ)のようだ。It's like a dream.

彼(かれ)は元気(げんき)なようだ。He seems healthy.

みたい (Casual “よう”)

More colloquial version of よう.

田中(たなか)さんみたいだ。Looks like Tanaka-san.

夢(ゆめ)みたい。It's like a dream.

子供(こども)みたいだね。You're like a child.

そう (Looks like / Hearsay)

Two different usages based on how it attaches.

Looks Like (Stem + そう)

Based on appearance/observation.

おいしそう。It looks delicious.

雨(あめ)が降(お)りそう。It looks like it's going to rain.

暑(あつ)そうだね。You look hot.

Hearsay (Plain form + そう)

Based on what you heard.

おいしいそうだ。I heard it's delicious.

雨(あめ)が降(ふ)るそうだ。I heard it will rain.

彼(かれ)は元気(げんき)だそうだ。I heard he's doing well.