When you want to say something is just like something else, you can use まるで. It often creates a strong comparison or a sense of illusion.
You'll typically find まるで paired with comparison particles like のよう or みたい. For example, まるで夢のようです means 'it's just like a dream.'
It emphasizes that something is so similar, it's almost the same, but not quite. Think of it as painting a vivid picture with words.
When using 「まるで」, it's often followed by 「～ようだ」 (like, similar to) or 「～みたいだ」 (like, similar to - more casual). It sets up a strong comparison, emphasizing that something is exactly or very much like something else, even if it isn't literally that thing.
It can be used to describe something that seems to be happening, even if you know it's not real, or to strongly liken one thing to another. Think of it as saying "It's just as if..." or "It's exactly like..."
まるで in 30 Sekunden
- as if
- just like
- as though
「まるで」 (marude) is an adverb in Japanese that means "as if," "just like," or "as though." It's used to make comparisons, often indicating that something is very similar to something else, or that it appears to be something it isn't. You'll hear and read 「まるで」 quite often, so let's break down how to use it.
§ Basic Usage with Nouns and Verbs
When you use 「まるで」, it's almost always followed by a comparison. This comparison can be a noun, a verb, or an adjective. You'll often see it paired with comparison particles like 「のようです」 (no you desu) or 「みたいです」 (mitai desu) when comparing to a noun.
- DEFINITION
- まるで + Noun + のようです / みたいです: As if it were a noun / Just like a noun.
彼の話はまるで夢のようだった。
Kare no hanashi wa marude yume no you datta.
(His story was as if it were a dream. / His story was just like a dream.)
彼女の歌声はまるで天使みたいです。
Kanojo no utagoe wa marude tenshi mitai desu.
(Her singing voice is just like an angel.)
When comparing to a verb, you'll often see 「まるで」 followed by a plain form verb + 「かのようです」 (ka no you desu) or 「かのように」 (ka no you ni).
- DEFINITION
- まるで + Verb (plain form) + かのようです / かのように: As if (verb).
彼は何も知らなかったまるでかのように振る舞った。
Kare wa nani mo shiranakatta marude ka no you ni furumatta.
(He behaved as if he knew nothing.)
彼女はまるで空を飛べるかのようです。
Kanojo wa marude sora o toberu ka no you desu.
(She is as if she can fly.)
§ Emphasizing the Comparison
「まるで」 often emphasizes the strength of the comparison. It can make the comparison more dramatic or impactful. It implies that the resemblance is very strong, even if it's not literally true.
この絵はまるで本物そっくりだ。
Kono e wa marude honmono sokkuri da.
(This painting is exactly like the real thing. / This painting is as if it were the real thing.)
§ Common Phrases with 「まるで」
まるで〜ない (marude ~ nai): This combination means "not at all" or "completely not." It's used to strongly negate something.
彼はまるで日本語が話せない。
Kare wa marude Nihongo ga hanasenai.
(He cannot speak Japanese at all. / He speaks no Japanese whatsoever.)まるで別人 (marude betsujin): This phrase means "like a different person" or "completely changed person."
彼は失恋してから、まるで別人になった。
Kare wa shitsuren shite kara, marude betsujin ni natta.
(After his heartbreak, he became like a completely different person.)
Keep an eye out for 「まるで」 in your Japanese studies. It's a useful word for making vivid comparisons and adding emphasis to your sentences.
Wusstest du?
Over time, まるで evolved from meaning 'completely' or 'entirely' into its current usage of 'as if' or 'just like,' often implying a strong resemblance or a hypothetical situation.
Wichtige Grammatik
まるで + のようです/みたいです (maru de + no you desu/mitai desu): Use 'maru de' followed by 'no you desu' or 'mitai desu' to express that something is 'just like' or 'as if' something else. 'No you desu' is slightly more formal than 'mitai desu'.
まるで夢のようです。 (Maru de yume no you desu.) - It's just like a dream.
まるで + Verb (Plain Form) + ように (maru de + verb (plain form) + you ni): When 'maru de' is followed by a verb in its plain form and 'you ni', it means 'as if' or 'as though' someone is doing something.
まるで見てきたかのように話す。 (Maru de mite kita ka no you ni hanasu.) - He talks as if he had seen it.
まるで + Noun + のように (maru de + noun + no you ni): Use 'maru de' followed by a noun and 'no you ni' to mean 'just like a [noun]' or 'as if it were a [noun]'.
まるで子供のように喜んだ。 (Maru de kodomo no you ni yorokonda.) - He rejoiced just like a child.
まるで + Adjective (い-adjective) + かのように (maru de + い-adjective + ka no you ni): When used with an い-adjective, 'maru de' and 'ka no you ni' express 'as if it were [い-adjective]'.
まるで昔からの友人のように話した。 (Maru de mukashi kara no yuujin no you ni hanashita.) - They talked as if they had been friends for a long time.
まるで + Adjective (な-adjective) + のように (maru de + な-adjective + no you ni): With な-adjectives, 'maru de' followed by 'na-adjective' and 'no you ni' means 'as if it were [な-adjective]'.
まるで別人のように見えた。 (Maru de betsujin no you ni mieta.) - He looked just like a different person.
Wird oft verwechselt mit
While 'まるで' often precedes 'ように', 'ように' itself has many uses beyond comparison, such as indicating purpose or desire. When used with 'まるで', it strengthens the comparative meaning.
Similar to 'ように', 'みたいに' is a common comparative particle. 'まるで' adds emphasis when used with 'みたいに', highlighting the 'as if' nature of the comparison.
This is a more formal and literary synonym for 'まるで', also meaning 'as if' or 'as though'. 'まるで' is much more common in everyday speech.
Grammatikmuster
Leicht verwechselbar
Many English speakers confuse 'まるで' with other similar-sounding or looking words, or they're unsure when to use it versus more literal comparisons.
It emphasizes a strong resemblance or a hypothetical situation. It often implies that something isn't literally what it appears to be, but it's very close.
まるで夢のようです。(It's just like a dream.)
Learners often wonder if 'まるで' can be used alone or if it always needs 'よう' or 'みたい'.
'まるで' often pairs with '～よう (に/だ/な)' or '～みたい (に/だ/な)' for a complete comparison structure, meaning 'as if it were...' or 'just like...'. While 'まるで' can sometimes stand alone (especially in more literary contexts), it's most commonly followed by these comparative particles.
彼はまるで子供のように喜んだ。(He rejoiced just like a child.)
The sound similarity can cause confusion, but their meanings are very different.
'全く' means 'completely' or 'entirely' and is used for emphasis, often with negative forms. 'まるで' is about comparison.
全く分かりません。(I don't understand at all.)
Both express similarity, so distinguishing their nuances can be tricky.
'そっくり' means 'looks exactly like' or 'is a spitting image of', often focusing on physical resemblance. 'まるで' is broader, covering actions, feelings, or situations as well as appearances, and often carries a sense of 'as if' rather than exact replication.
彼女は母親にそっくりだ。(She looks exactly like her mother.)
Both can convey a sense of 'just like' or 'truly', but they operate differently.
'まさに' means 'exactly', 'precisely', or 'truly'. It affirms something as being the case. 'まるで' suggests a strong similarity or a hypothetical 'as if' situation.
まさにその通りです。(That's exactly right.)
Satzmuster
まるで + noun のよう (まるで + noun + no you)
彼女はまるで天使のようだ。 (Kanojo wa marude tenshi no you da.) - She's just like an angel.
まるで + verb かのように (まるで + verb + ka no you ni)
彼はまるで何もなかったかのように話した。 (Kare wa marude nani mo nakatta ka no you ni hanashita.) - He spoke as if nothing had happened.
まるで + adjective かのように (まるで + adjective + ka no you ni)
そのケーキはまるで本物かのように美味しかった。 (Sono keeki wa marude honmono ka no you ni oishikatta.) - That cake was delicious as if it were real.
まるで + sentence (まるで + sentence)
まるで夢を見ているようだ。 (Marude yume o miteiru you da.) - It's as if I'm dreaming.
So verwendest du es
まるで (marude) is an adverb that means "as if," "just like," or "as though." It's often used to express a strong resemblance or comparison, implying that something is almost identical to something else, or that a situation appears to be a certain way, even if it's not literally true.
You'll frequently see まるで paired with other words that emphasize similarity or comparison, such as:
- まるで ～ のようだ / のようです (marude ~ no you da / no you desu): This is a common and natural way to say "It's just like ~" or "It's as if ~." The の (no) acts as a possessive particle, connecting まるで with the noun or phrase that follows.
- まるで ～ みたいだ / みたいです (marude ~ mitai da / mitai desu): Similar to のようだ, this also means "It's like ~" or "It looks like ~." みたい is a more casual way to express similarity.
- まるで ～ かのように (marude ~ ka no you ni): This phrase emphasizes the "as if" aspect, often used when describing actions or appearances that are not literally true.
Examples:
- 彼はまるで子供のようだ。(Kare wa marude kodomo no you da.)
He's just like a child. (He acts like a child.) - まるで夢を見ているようだ。(Marude yume o mite iru you da.)
It's as if I'm dreaming. - 空はまるで海のように青かった。(Sora wa marude umi no you ni aokatta.)
The sky was as blue as the sea. - 彼女はまるで何もなかったかのように微笑んだ。(Kanojo wa marude nani mo nakatta ka no you ni hohoenda.)
She smiled as if nothing had happened. - まるで真夏のような暑さだ。(Marude manatsu no you na atsusa da.)
It's hot as if it's the middle of summer.
One common mistake is using まるで without a comparative particle like のようだ or みたいだ when you're directly comparing two things. While まるで itself means "as if," adding these particles makes the comparison grammatically complete and natural-sounding.
For example, saying 誤り: 彼はまるで子供 (Kare wa marude kodomo) is incomplete. You need to add a comparison: 正しい: 彼はまるで子供のようだ (Kare wa marude kodomo no you da).
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of 'marude' sounding a bit like 'marvel.' When something is 'marvelous,' it might feel 'as if' it's a dream or something extraordinary.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a chameleon. It changes its color 'just like' its surroundings. Picture a chameleon blending in perfectly, almost 'as if' it's not there at all.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Try to create three sentences using まるで (marude) to describe: 1. How you feel after a long day. 2. Someone who is very good at something. 3. Something that surprised you.
Wortherkunft
From Classical Japanese.
Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: The word まるで (marude) is a combination of two elements: まる (maru), meaning 'whole' or 'complete,' and で (de), a particle indicating 'at' or 'by means of.'
Japonic.Kultureller Kontext
When using まるで, it's common to follow it with ～のようだ (no you da) or ～みたいだ (mitai da), which both mean 'it seems like' or 'it's like,' to complete the comparison. This construction emphasizes the hypothetical or comparative nature of the statement. While まるで can sometimes be used alone, pairing it with these expressions makes the meaning clearer and is more common in natural conversation.
Teste dich selbst 42 Fragen
この部屋は___ホテルみたいにきれいです。
「まるで」は「まるで～みたいに」の形で、「まるでホテルみたいに」は「まるでホテルであるかのように」という意味になります。
彼は___子供のように遊びます。
「まるで」は「まるで～のように」の形で、「まるで子供のように」は「まるで子供であるかのように」という意味になります。
彼女は___天使のようです。
「まるで」は「まるで～のようだ」の形で、「まるで天使のようだ」は「まるで天使であるかのように」という意味になります。
この絵は___写真みたいにリアルです。
「まるで」は「まるで～みたいに」の形で、「まるで写真みたいに」は「まるで写真であるかのように」という意味になります。
空は___海のように青いです。
「まるで」は「まるで～のように」の形で、「まるで海のように」は「まるで海であるかのように」という意味になります。
彼の声は___歌手のようです。
「まるで」は「まるで～のようだ」の形で、「まるで歌手のようだ」は「まるで歌手であるかのように」という意味になります。
Choose the best English translation for: 彼はまるで子供のようです。
「まるで」means 'as if' or 'just like'. So, 'まるで子供のようです' means 'just like a child'.
Which sentence uses 「まるで」 correctly?
「まるで」usually comes before the noun or phrase it's comparing to.
What is the most natural way to say 'It's as if it's spring' in Japanese?
The structure 'まるで noun です' is common for 'as if it's noun'.
The sentence 「まるで猫です」 means 'It is a cat'.
「まるで猫です」 means 'It's as if it's a cat' or 'It's just like a cat', not that it literally is a cat.
You can use 「まるで」 to express that something is exactly like something else.
「まるで」 is used to indicate a strong resemblance or comparison, often implying 'exactly like' or 'as if'.
「まるで」 is typically used at the end of a sentence.
「まるで」 usually comes at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence, before the comparison.
You are at a friend's house, and their dog is acting very much like a human. Write a short sentence describing the dog's behavior using 「まるで」.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
その犬はまるで人間みたいです。
Imagine you see a cloud that looks exactly like a cat. Write a sentence describing this using 「まるで」.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
あの雲はまるで猫みたいですね。
You are watching a movie and one character is acting as if they are a child. Write a sentence about this character using 「まるで」.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼はまるで子供みたいに話します。
What does this passage tell us about her?
Read this passage:
彼女はまるで先生のように説明が上手です。みんな彼女の話をよく聞きます。
What does this passage tell us about her?
「まるで先生のように説明が上手です」 means 'She is good at explaining, as if she were a teacher.'
「まるで先生のように説明が上手です」 means 'She is good at explaining, as if she were a teacher.'
How does the speaker feel about this room?
Read this passage:
この部屋はまるで秘密基地みたいで、とても楽しいです。
How does the speaker feel about this room?
「まるで秘密基地みたいで、とても楽しいです」 means 'It is like a secret base and very fun.'
「まるで秘密基地みたいで、とても楽しいです」 means 'It is like a secret base and very fun.'
What kind of person is he?
Read this passage:
彼はまるでロボットのように毎日同じことをします。とても規則正しい人です。
What kind of person is he?
「まるでロボットのように毎日同じことをします」 means 'He does the same thing every day, as if he were a robot.' The second sentence confirms he is a punctual person.
「まるでロボットのように毎日同じことをします」 means 'He does the same thing every day, as if he were a robot.' The second sentence confirms he is a punctual person.
Someone is describing a dream-like experience.
Someone is complimenting a singer.
Something disappeared very quickly.
Read this aloud:
まるで日本の漫画みたいだ。
Focus: まるで (marude)
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
まるで子供みたいに喜んでいる。
Focus: 喜んでいる (yorokonde iru)
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
まるで真夏のようです。
Focus: 真夏 (manatsu)
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
'まるで' often pairs with 'ようです' or 'みたいです' to mean 'as if' or 'just like'. The sentence means 'He is just like a doctor.'
This sentence means 'The sky is just like the ocean.' Remember that 'まるで' sets up a comparison.
Here, '彼女はまるで歌手のようです' means 'She is just like a singer.' This is a common way to use 'まるで'.
Imagine you're watching a skilled artist. Describe their movements, using 'まるで' to compare them to something else. For example, 'まるで魔法使いのように' (as if a magician).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
その画家は筆をまるで生きているかのように操り、キャンバスの上で色が踊っているようだった。
You're describing a dream you had. Use 'まるで' to convey the surreal or fantastical elements. For instance, 'まるで映画のワンシーンのようだった' (It was just like a scene from a movie).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
昨日の夢はまるでSF映画の中にいるようだった。空には巨大な宇宙船が浮かび、人々はまるで何もなかったかのように振る舞っていた。
Describe a difficult situation you overcame. Use 'まるで' to express how challenging it felt or how it transformed you. For example, 'まるで長いトンネルを抜けたようだった' (It was as if I had come out of a long tunnel).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
新しいプロジェクトはまるで終わりのない迷路のようだったが、チーム全員で協力して、まるで奇跡のように成功させることができた。
筆者が友人の変化について述べた中で、安心した点として最も適切なものはどれか？
Read this passage:
何年も会っていなかった友人と偶然再会した。彼はまるで別人のように変わっていた。外見だけでなく、話し方や雰囲気も昔とは全く違った。しかし、彼の笑顔はまるで昔のままで、少し安心した。
筆者が友人の変化について述べた中で、安心した点として最も適切なものはどれか？
筆者は友人の笑顔が『まるで昔のままで、少し安心した』と述べています。
筆者は友人の笑顔が『まるで昔のままで、少し安心した』と述べています。
筆者が「まるで雪に覆われたかのように」と表現したのは何についてか？
Read this passage:
ある朝、窓の外を見ると、庭がまるで雪に覆われたかのように真っ白になっていた。しかし、それは雪ではなく、桜の花びらが一面に散り積もったものだった。まるで夢のような光景に、私はしばらく言葉を失った。
筆者が「まるで雪に覆われたかのように」と表現したのは何についてか？
文章には「それは雪ではなく、桜の花びらが一面に散り積もったものだった」と明記されています。
文章には「それは雪ではなく、桜の花びらが一面に散り積もったものだった」と明記されています。
この文章から、彼女のピアノ演奏について最もよく表しているものは何か？
Read this passage:
彼女のピアノの演奏は、まるで水が流れるように滑らかで、聴く人の心を魅了した。その音色はまるで宝石のように輝き、一つ一つの音が感情豊かに響き渡った。聴衆は皆、まるで魔法にかかったかのように、その美しい音色に聴き入っていた。
この文章から、彼女のピアノ演奏について最もよく表しているものは何か？
「まるで水が流れるように滑らかで」「一つ一つの音が感情豊かに響き渡った」と述べられています。
「まるで水が流れるように滑らかで」「一つ一つの音が感情豊かに響き渡った」と述べられています。
This sentence means 'It's as if I'm dreaming.' 'まるで' sets up the comparison, followed by the state '夢を見ている' (seeing a dream), and then 'かのようだ' which completes the 'as if' or 'as though' construction.
This means 'It's just like a living dictionary.' 'まるで' introduces the comparison, and '生きた辞書のようだ' describes the person as being like a living dictionary, implying they have vast knowledge.
This translates to 'He behaved as if nothing had happened.' 'まるで' is followed by '何事もなかったかのように' (as if nothing happened) to describe his behavior.
/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Use まるで to describe something that is strikingly similar to something else.
- as if
- just like
- as though
Beispiel
彼はまるでプロの歌手のように歌う。
Verwandte Inhalte
Mehr family Wörter
還暦
B160th birthday (celebration of completing a 60-year cycle).
〜くらい
B1About; approximately; to the extent that.
認め合う
B1To recognize each other's worth; to acknowledge.
知人
B1Acquaintance.
顔見知り
A2Acquaintance; someone you know by sight.
甘える
B1To be spoiled, to fawn; to behave like a pampered child.
活発な
B1Active; lively; vigorous.
思春期
B1Adolescence; the period of transition from childhood to adulthood.
養子
B1Adopted child; a child taken into one's family by legal means.
養親
B2Adoptive parent.
