JLPT N4 grammar
〜みたい — Meaning & Examples
"Seems like / looks like." Casual version of ようだ. Plain form + みたい. 怒っているみたい = looks like she's angry. Use this in conversation.
〜ばよかった and 〜みたい
〜ばよかった — "I should have / I wish I had"
Formation: conditional ば-form + よかった (it was good)
もっと勉強すればよかった。
= I should have studied more.
傘を持ってくればよかった。
= I should have brought an umbrella.
もっと早く起きればよかった。
= I wish I had woken up earlier.
This always expresses regret about the PAST — wishing you had done something differently.
Shortcut: The conditional ば-form:
Group 1 verbs: change the last sound to え-row + ば (のむ → のめば)
Group 2 verbs: drop る + れば (たべる → たべれば)
する → すれば, くる → くれば
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〜みたい — "Seems Like / Looks Like" (casual)
Formation: plain form + みたい
あの映画、面白そうみたいです。
= That movie seems interesting.
熱があるみたい。 = Looks like (I have) a fever.
彼女、怒っているみたい。 = She seems angry.
みたい vs ようだ:
みたい = casual version (conversations, texting)
ようだ = slightly more formal (writing, presentations)
Both mean the same thing — just different registers.
You'll use みたい 90% of the time in daily life.
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on 〜みたい. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 〜みたい expresses?
- Definite fact
- Something seems/looks like
- Wanting to do
- Asking permission
Show answer
Answer: Something seems/looks like
みたい = seems like / looks like (casual). 怒っているみたい = she seems angry. Casual version of ようだ.
2. "The ramen looks delicious" uses?
- おいしいみたい
- おいしそうみたい
- おいしいとおもう
- おいしくてしまう
Show answer
Answer: おいしいみたい
みたい for "seems like." おいしいみたい = seems/looks delicious. Casual and very natural for spoken Japanese.
Practise 〜みたい in the free app
This point is part of the “💬 Everyday N4 — Patterns You'll Use All the Time” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N4 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N4 grammar points
From the same lesson: 💬 Everyday N4 — Patterns You'll Use All the Time
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜みたい mean?
"Seems like / looks like." Casual version of ようだ. Plain form + みたい. 怒っているみたい = looks like she's angry. Use this in conversation.
Is 〜みたい on the JLPT N4 test?
〜みたい is taught in the JLPT N4 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “💬 Everyday N4 — Patterns You'll Use All the Time”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜みたい?
Open the “💬 Everyday N4 — Patterns You'll Use All the Time” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N4 mock exams, with no ads.