Japanese Equality Comparatives - ように and ような

Comparatives of equality establish a comparison between two or more beings. Comparatives of equality are often "how much" used in sentences like: "My car is as good as yours." or "He's fast as a cheetah.".

In Japanese, to make equality comparisons, we use "ように" and "ような" (youni and youna)To make the comparison, we use the following structures:

  • A is BのようにADJ or VERB;
  • NOUN + のように +MAIN VERB.
    VERB + ように +MAIN VERB;
  • PはAのようなBにVERB (ような+ noun);
  • ADJ or VERB + ような + NOUN / PERSON;

So we come to the conclusion that ように is used with an adjective and a verb. Meanwhile ような is used with a noun. It is worth remembering that よう is used at other times to indicate other things as something similar or similar. Below, see details of each structure related to よう:

  • よう - as if, as;
  • ような – as (used with nouns);
  • ように - such - as, when (used with verbs or adjectives);
  • ...ように- warn, give order (end of sentence);
  • ようになる - ようになった - become, come to the point, be able;
  • ようだ - ようです - Looks like;
  • みたいに みたいな (Colloquial form). - Looks like;

Of course the structure will depend on how we want to express or say the sentence, the examples below will help you understand the function and difference of ように and ような.

example sentences

  • 彼はチーターのように早いです。
  • Kare wa chītā no yō ni hayaidesu;
  • He is fast as a cheetah;

In this sentence we had a simple example using ように.

  • 実乃梨は堀江由衣のように歌えるよ。
  • Minori wa horie yui no yō ni utaeru yo;
  • Minori can sing like Yui Horie;

Another example using ように. As we are talking about equality I need to say: 彼女たちは同じですよ (Kanojotachi wa onajidesuyo) They are the same.

  • かれは宮殿のような家に住んでいる。
  • Kare wa kyūden no yōna ie ni sunde iru;
  • He lives in a house that looks like a palace;

Now in this example we had the use of ような. You noticed that now the 2 objects that are compared are separated by the ような.

  • 彼は私が想像していたような人ではなかった。
  • Kare wa watashi ga sōzō shite ita yōna hitode wa nakatta;
  • She wasn't who I had imagined her to be;

This example showed a negative case, it can be seen that the same structure is used.

  • 一条くんの恋人はゴリラのような女だ。
  • Ichijō-kun no koibito wa gorira no yōna on'nada;
  • Ichijo's boyfriend is a woman who looks like a gorilla;

I hope you understand the reference to that sentence.

  • 彼はきつねみたいにずるいです。
  • Kare wa kitsune mitai ni zuruidesu;
  • He is as cunning as a fox;

In this example we use the colloquial form of ように.

  • 猫のような雲
  • Clouds like cats;
  • A cloud that looks like a cat;

This sentence is simple, made up of only 2 nouns.

  • プロのように日本語を話したい。
  • Pure no you ni nihongo wo hanashitai;
  • I want to speak Japanese like a pro;

This example used ように with a verb in the form tai.

  • その紙飛行機は白い鳥が空を飛んでいるように見える。
  • Sono kami hikouki wa shiroi tori ga sora wo toned iru you ni mieru;
  • This paper plane looks like a white bird flying through the sky;

This example was a little more complex and did not use the の particle before ように. This happened because the word that precedes ように is a verb.

Were these examples enough for you to understand how to make equality comparisons? If you want to complement the article, leave your comments.

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