Grammar · N4–N3
ようだ・みたい・らしい: seeming and evidence
A practical map of several “seems/apparently” expressions.
In short
ようだ expresses resemblance or a conclusion based on evidence and is relatively neutral/formal. みたい is a common conversational counterpart. らしい often marks information that appears characteristic or based on indirect evidence/report.
How it works
彼は忙しいようです suggests a reasoned impression. 雨みたい is conversational “looks like rain.” 彼は来ないらしい can mean “apparently he is not coming.”
Useful contrast
These categories overlap in real speech, so register and evidence source matter as much as English translation.
Examples
外は寒いようです。
It seems cold outside.
田中さんは来ないらしいです。
Apparently Tanaka is not coming.
Common pitfall
Do not treat all three as interchangeable “seems”. Learn them with situations and surrounding style.