Meaning & usage
ようだ expresses that something seems to be the case based on appearance or sensory impression, or that one thing resembles another in the sense of like or as if. Attach it to plain-form verbs and i-adjectives, to nouns with の, and to na-adjective stems with な, changing the ending to ような before nouns and ように before verbs, with past form ようだった. It is more formal and written than みたいだ, and often pairs with perception verbs in ように見える or with ような気がする to soften a judgment.
Example sentences 6
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このトイレットペーパーは、まるで紙やすりのようだ。
This toilet paper is like sandpaper.
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子どもは大人のようにふるまいたがる。
Children want to act like grown-ups.
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どこかで聞いたような気もするね。
That rings a bell.
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魚はサーモンのような味がした。
The fish tasted like salmon.
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同じようなもんじゃん！
It's almost the same!
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人間にとって空気とは、魚にとっての水のようなものだ。
Air is to man what water is to fish.
