Appearance: そう / みたい

Learn how to describe how things look or seem.

Key Expressions

Hiragana	Romaji	English	Type
[い-adj without い] + そう	sou	looks [adj]	expression
[な-adj] + そう	sou	looks [adj]	expression
[noun/sentence] + みたい です	mitai desu	it looks like, seems like	expression

そう - Looking...

With い-Adjectives

[い-adjective without い] + そう

Remove the final い and add そう to express how something looks or appears.

Examples

• おいしい → おいしそう - Looks tasty
  • oishisou
• たかい → たかそう - Looks expensive
  • takasou
• たのしい → たのしそう - Looks fun
  • tanoshisou
• あぶない → あぶなそう - Looks dangerous
  • abunasou

In Sentences

• この ケーキ は おいしそう です - This cake looks delicious.
  • kono keeki wa oishisou desu
• その かばん は たかそう です - That bag looks expensive.
  • sono kaban wa takasou desu

With な-Adjectives

[な-adjective without な] + そう

Remove な and add そう.

Examples

• しんせつ な → しんせつそう - Looks kind
  • shinsetsusou
• げんき な → げんきそう - Looks healthy/energetic
  • genkisou
• しずか な → しずかそう - Looks quiet
  • shizukasou

In Sentences

• あの ひと は しんせつそう です - That person looks kind.
  • ano hito wa shinsetsusou desu
• この こ は げんきそう です - This child looks healthy.
  • kono ko wa genkisou desu

みたい - Seems Like

A みたい です

Meaning: "It looks like A" or "It seems like A"

Examples

• あめ が ふる みたい です - It looks like it will rain.
  • ame ga furu mitai desu
• がくせい みたい です - (He/She) looks like a student.
  • gakusei mitai desu
• おいしい みたい です - It looks delicious.
  • oishii mitai desu

そう vs みたい

Use そう for visual appearance based on direct observation — you can see it. Use みたい for resemblance or likelihood — it reminds you of something, or you infer it.