N4 verb-grammar

〜みたいだ / 〜みたいな / 〜みたいに

Looks like / seems 〜みたいだ

Meaning

Conjecture based on appearance or impression — "it looks like ~ / it seems ~". More casual/conversational than ようだ. Three forms: みたいだ (predicate), みたいな (modifies noun), みたいに (modifies verb).

Formation

[plain form] + みたいだ / [noun] + みたいだ (普通形・名詞 + みたい)

Notes

Cannot be used in formal writing (use ようだ instead). Very common in speech. Like ようだ, it can express both resemblance ("looks like a cat") and inference ("looks like it's going to rain").

Examples

空（そら）が暗（くら）いです。雨（あめ）が降（ふ）るみたいです。

The sky is dark. It looks like it's going to rain.

Breakdown

そら空 sky が (subject) くらい暗い dark です is あめ雨 rain が (subject) ふるみたい降るみたい looks like will fall です is

彼（かれ）は疲（つか）れているみたいです。

He seems to be tired.

Breakdown

かれ彼 he wa は (topic) つかれている疲れている is tired みたい seems です is

彼女（かのじょ）はモデルみたいな人（ひと）です。

She is a model-like person. (みたいな + noun)

Breakdown

かのじょ彼女 she wa は (topic) モデル model みたいな like ひと人 person です is

鳥（とり）みたいに空（そら）を飛（と）びたい。

I want to fly in the sky like a bird. (みたいに + verb)

Breakdown

とり鳥 bird みたいに like そら空 sky o を (object) とびたい飛びたい want to fly

この町（まち）は昔（むかし）、にぎやかだったみたいです。

It seems this town used to be lively.

Breakdown

この this まち町 town wa は (topic) むかし昔 long ago にぎやかだったみたい seems was lively です is

⚠️ Often confused with

〜そうだ (伝聞)

I heard that 〜そうだ (hearsay)

Hearsay — "I heard that ~ / they say that ~". Reports information obtained from another so...

〜そうだ (様態) / 〜そうに / 〜そうな

Looks like 〜そうだ (conjecture)

Visual conjecture based on appearance — "looks like ~ / seems about to ~". Based on what y...

〜らしい

Apparently / seems 〜らしい

Conjecture based on some evidence or hearsay — "apparently ~ / I hear that ~ / it seems ~"...

〜ようだ / 〜ような / 〜ように

Appears / seems 〜ようだ

Conjecture or resemblance — "it appears that ~ / it seems ~ / like ~". More formal than み...

〜かもしれない

Might / perhaps 〜かもしれない

Expresses possibility — "might / perhaps / may". Indicates something is possible but not c...

〜はずだ / 〜はずです

Should be 〜はずだ (expectation)

A strong expectation based on logic or evidence — "should be ~ / ought to ~ / is supposed...

〜はずがない / 〜はずありません

Cannot be / no way 〜はずがない

Strong denial of possibility — "there's no way ~ / it cannot be that ~ / impossible". The...

〜に違いない

Must be 〜に違いない

A confident inference — "must be ~", "I am sure ~".

〜おそれがある

There is a risk that 〜おそれがある

"There is a risk / danger that ~".

〜かねない

Might well 〜かねない

"Might well ~", "could easily end up ~" — of a feared outcome.