Introduction
In this blog, we’ll learn how to use -みたいです (mitaidesu), which is commonly used to express resemblance or the appearance of something. It’s an essential grammar structure for everyday conversation.
What It Means
–みたいです (mitaidesu) can be used to describe two things:
- Something resembles another thing (like a noun).
- Something “appears to be” the case (like a verb).
When You Use It
You can use –みたいです (mitaidesu) after a noun to describe someone or something that looks like or resembles another person or thing. For example:
- 私の父はカーネルおじさんみたいです。
(Watashi no chichi wa Kaaneru ojiisan mitaidesu.)
My dad looks like Colonel Sanders.
You can also use it after a verb to describe an action that seems to have happened or appears to be true:
- 雨が降ったみたいですね。
(Ame ga futta mitaidesu ne.)
It looks like it has rained, doesn’t it?
Examples
- あの人は熱があるみたいです。
(Ano hito wa netsu ga aru mitaidesu.)
It looks like that person has a fever. - あの人はきのうの夜寝なかったみたいです。
(Ano hito wa kinou no yoru nenakatta mitaidesu.)
It looks like that person didn’t sleep last night. - スマホを忘れたみたいです。
(Sumaho o wasureta mitaidesu.)
It looks like I forgot my phone.
Note
You can also use –みたいです (mitaidesu) to describe your own situation when you’re unsure about what’s happening. For example:
- スマホを忘れたみたいです。
(Sumaho o wasureta mitaidesu.)
It looks like I forgot my phone.
However, when describing appearances with adjectives, it’s more common to use -そうです (soudesu). For example:
- あのケーキは美味しそうです。
(Ano keeki wa oishisou desu.)
That cake looks delicious.
Conclusion
Now you know how to use -みたいです (mitaidesu) to describe resemblance or to express that something seems to be true.
Recommended Resources
For a deeper understanding of -mitaidesu (-mitaida) and other Japanese grammar structures, I recommend “A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar“. This book provides clear, detailed explanations of grammar points like -mitaidesu (-mitaida), with plenty of examples to help reinforce the concepts.
