Posted inN4 Grammar

Mastering ように / ような (You ni / You na) | JLPT N4 Grammar

Posted inN4 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

“like”, “as if”, “so that”, “in order to”, “seems like”

🎯 Primary Function

To express comparison (like, as if), purpose or goal (so that), indirect requests/instructions, wishes, or appearance/state (seems/looks like).

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb Plain Form (辞書形, ない形, た形, なかった形) + ように / ような い-adjective + ように / ような な-adjective + な + ような (modifying noun) な-adjective + に + ように (modifying verb/phrase, adverbial sense) Noun + の + ような ように is followed by a verb, adjective, or phrase (e.g., 毎日練習します, 見えます, 言われました). ような is followed by a noun.

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in formal contexts, especially for expressing purpose or reporting requests.

😊 Informal Situations

Commonly used in informal speech for comparison and appearance.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently appears in both formal and informal writing.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Very common in everyday conversation.

💡 Common Applications

Expressing Purpose/Goal
Indicates the intended result or state one aims to achieve. Often used with potential forms or verbs like なる (to become) and する (to do).
Example: 日本語が上手になるように、毎日練習しています。 (Nihongo ga jouzu ni naru you ni, mainichi renshuu shite imasu.) I practice every day so that I can become good at Japanese.
Making Indirect Requests/Instructions
Used after the plain form of a verb (often negative) followed by 言う, 伝える, 注意する, or してください to make a softer request or instruction.
Example: ここにごみを捨てないように注意されました。 (Koko ni gomi o sutenai you ni chuui saremashita.) I was warned not to throw trash here.
Expressing Wishes/Hopes
Used with verbs expressing hope or prayer, often in the form ～ように + verb or simply ～ようになりますように.
Example: 世界が平和になりますように。 (Sekai ga heiwa ni narimasu you ni.) May the world become peaceful.
📊
Frequency
Very frequent and versatile in various contexts.
🎚️
Difficulty
N4 (covers multiple distinct usages)
Example Sentences
漢字が書けるように、毎日練習しています。
I practice every day so that I can write kanji.
先生に、遅刻しないように言われました。
The teacher told me not to be late.
試験に合格できますように。
I hope I can pass the exam.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

ように vs ような
ように is generally used adverbially or before verbs/phrases like する, なる, 見える, 聞こえる, 言う. ような is used adjectivally, always modifying a noun that follows it.
Example: 星のように光る (shining like a star – ように modifies 光る) 星のような形 (star-like shape – ような modifies 形)
Purpose (ように vs ために)
ように for purpose focuses on the resulting state or ability (especially with potential verbs or なる/する). ために focuses on the action or means taken to achieve a specific result.
Example: 日本語が話せるように、毎日勉強する (Study every day so that I become able to speak Japanese – focus on the ability) 旅行に行くために、お金を貯める (Save money in order to go on a trip – focus on the action/reason)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using ような before a verb or sentence ending.
✅ Use ように instead.
ような must be followed by a noun. When the comparison or manner modifies a verb or phrase, use ように.
❌ Incorrect connection with adjectives/nouns.
✅ Use い-adj + ように/ような, な-adj + な + ような (modifying noun), な-adj + に + ように (modifying verb), Noun + の + ような.
Pay attention to the correct particle/form before ように/ような depending on the word type and whether you are using ように or ような.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: The indirect request form (～ように言ってください) is generally more polite than a direct command.
Social Situations: Used in various social situations, from casual comparisons to more formal instructions or reports.
Regional Variations: The core usage is standard across Japan, though specific phrases or nuances might vary slightly.

🔍 Subtle Differences

ように vs みたい (similar to, looks like)
ように is generally more formal than みたい. みたい is very common in casual spoken Japanese.
When to use: Use ように in standard or slightly formal contexts. Use みたい in casual conversation.
ように vs らしい (seems like)
らしい is used for information based on what you’ve heard or read (hearsay, report). ように is used for inference based on appearance, sound, or state.
When to use: Use らしい when reporting what you heard. Use ように見える/聞こえる when describing what you see/hear and inferring from it.
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When to use: undefined

📝 Conjugation Notes

Connects to the plain form of verbs and adjectives. Nouns use の before ような. な-adjectives use な before ような when modifying a noun.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced /joːni/ and /joːna/. Be careful with the long “o” sound.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of よう as “way” or “manner”. ように = “in this way”, “so that”. ような = “a way of [noun]” or “like a [noun]”. Visualizing the different uses (goal arrow, gentle request cloud, comparison scale, looking glass) can help.

Practice Exercises
子供が( )ように、テレビを消してください。
寝る
寝た
寝られる
寝るの
彼はまるで( )のような速さで走った。
風
風に
風だ
風な
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