ようだ
🃏 Flashcard
ようだ
you da
Tap to reveal usage
appears; seems; looks as if
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
you da
Post ID
50805
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
appears; seems; looks as if
📖 How to use it
ようだ expresses the speaker's subjective judgment based on what they see or sense, meaning 'appears, seems, looks as if'.
Attaches to
Attach to the dictionary form of verbs and adjectives, to the dictionary form of な-adjectives (e.g., 静かなようだ), and to nouns followed by の (e.g., 先生のようだ).
You use ようだ when you make a guess from direct evidence—something you saw, heard, or felt. It is based on sensory evidence and can be used for broader situations than そうだ, which is limited to immediate visual appearance. For example, if you see dark clouds, you might say 雨が降るようだ (It looks like it will rain).
あの人は学生のようです。
Ano hito wa gakusei no you desu.
That person appears to be a student.
外は寒いようです。
Soto wa samui you desu.
It seems cold outside.
彼は忙しいようです。
Kare wa isogashii you desu.
He seems busy.
Not そうだ (appearance)
そうだ is used for immediate visual appearance (e.g., おいしそうだ 'looks delicious'), while ようだ is for a broader judgment based on any sensory evidence or situation (e.g., 雨が降るようだ 'seems it will rain').
Register
ようだ is neutral and common in both speech and writing, but in casual conversation it's often replaced by みたいだ.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ようだ
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ようだ three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using ようだ. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ようだ mean?
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Appears; seems; looks as if
What JLPT level is ようだ?
▼
Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ようだ in a sentence?
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Attach ようだ (you da) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is ようだ formal or casual Japanese?
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ようだ is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember ようだ long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.