ようだ・
You say how things appear without saying that they are so. From signs, that is "it seems"; as a comparison, it is "like". In casual conversation みたいだ usually takes its place.
it seems
The road is still wet. It seems that it rained last night.
such as
Towns with a long history, like Kyoto and Nara, have many old temples.
After a verb or adjective
降るようだ ／ 降ったようだ ／ 暑いようだ ／ 静かなようだ
The plain form. A な-adjective keeps な.
After a noun
雨のようだ
A noun takes の. Past and negative go in whole, without の or な: 雨だったようだ, 静かではないようだ.
Its own forms
ようだ・ようです ／ ような + noun ／ ように + verb or adjective
It changes like a な-adjective.
It seems: figuring it out from signs
You notice something and say what it points to. The sign can be anything you see, hear or feel, your own body included.
The lights are off. It seems no one is there anymore.
All the windows are shut, and there is a "closed" sign at the entrance. It seems to be closed today.
My throat hurts. I seem to have caught a cold.
I've been through my bag again and again, and my wallet isn't there. I seem to have dropped it somewhere.
A softer way to say it
ようです also softens what you are fairly sure of, so it is a polite way to point out a problem.
Excuse me, the change seems to be wrong.
How do you know?
Japanese picks the ending by how you know: from the look of it, from signs, or from what you were told.
The sky is dark. No rain yet.
The look of it: stem + そうだ.
It looks like it's going to rain.
The road is wet. You figure it out.
Signs: plain form + ようだ, or みたいだ in conversation.
It seems it rained.
The forecast said so. You pass it on.
Told: plain form + そうだ.
I hear it's going to rain.
You heard it somewhere. You aren't vouching for it.
Told, and kept at a distance: plain form + らしい.
Apparently it's going to rain.
ようだ or らしい?
ようだ is your own reading of the signs. らしい leans on what others told you.
Yamada seems to have a cold.
You have seen him coughing. The judgment is yours.
Apparently Yamada has a cold.
You are going by what you were told.
So a doctor who has just examined you says 風邪のようですね. 風邪らしいですね would sound as if the doctor had only heard about it.
Like: comparing
Here you know it isn't really so: a cloud is not a ship. まるで in front makes it "just like".
It's just like a dream.
The hands were cold as ice.
He walked silently, like a cat.
It was a quiet place, as though the whole town were asleep.
Such as
Before a noun, のような can also name a real example.
At this shop, you can buy Japanese teas such as matcha and roasted green tea.
As
ように is also "as": as I said, or いつものように, "as usual".
As I said a moment ago, the meeting starts at three.
Close neighbours
みたいだN4
The same two meanings. みたいだ is for conversation and messages; ようだ is for polite talk, the news and writing. The join differs: 雨みたいだ, 静かみたいだ, with no の or な.
Looks like Tanaka has already gone home.
そうだN4
On a stem, "looks": from the look of the thing itself. That one never follows a past form, so for what has already happened it is ようだ.
The sky is dark, and it looks like it is going to snow.
らしいN4
"Apparently", and after a noun a second meaning. らしい is usually said of the real thing; のよう and みたい of what only resembles it. 春らしい日 is a spring day that feels like one; 春のような日 is a winter day that feels like spring.
It has turned into a warm day, a real spring day.
ようにN4
Same spelling, another job: "so that", with an aim in front. Also what you tell or ask someone to do: 待つように言う.
I'll make a note so that I don't forget.
ようになる is a change: "come to", "become able to". ようにする is "make sure to".
I have become able to speak a little Japanese.
かのようだ is "as if", for what is plainly not so.
He talked as if he knew nothing.
Check yourself
1Which one fits?
床が
Choose an answer to see why.
2Which one fits?
あの
Choose an answer to see why.
3Which one fits?
この
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
このような・どのように
このような and どのように are the careful forms of こんな and どう. You meet them in instructions, on forms and from shop staff.
How is this kanji read?
ような気がする
"I have a feeling that…"
I have a feeling we have met somewhere.
More sentences
Everyone has taken off their jackets. It seems hot in the room.
Not a sound reaches the hallway. The classroom seems to be quiet.
Applause keeps coming from the meeting room next door. The discussion seems to be going well.
Even after the explanation, several people still look puzzled. The material does not seem simple.
White flowers like snow are blooming in the garden.
The surface of the lake was smooth like a mirror.
For travel, something like this light, durable bag is useful.