JLPT N4 Grammar – The difference between”〜みたいな” and “〜みたいに”

Table of Contents

1. The difference between”〜みたいな” and “〜みたいに”
2. 〜みたいだ
3. Basic Rules
4. 〜みたいな
5. 〜みたいに
6. Common Mistake
7. Cases Where Both Can Be Used

8. Summary
9. Quiz
10. Similar Articles
11. Comments

Q: I don’t understand when to use “みたいな” and when to use “みたいに.”

A: “〜みたいな” and “〜みたいに” are expressions used to describe something that is similar to something else.
They have the same basic meaning, but the form changes depending on the word that follows. Use “〜みたいな” before nouns, and “〜みたいに” before verbs and adjectives.
Let’s take a closer look.

〜みたいだ (JLPT N4)

“みたいだ” is a colloquial expression used when giving an example or making an uncertain judgment. It has a similar meaning to the auxiliary verb “ようだ” and conjugates in the same way as a な adjective (adjectival noun).

Conjugation Form	Example
Stem	みたい
Adverbial form	みたいに (modifies verbs and adjectives)
Attributive form	みたいな (modifies nouns)
Sentence-ending form	みたいだ
Conditional form	みたいなら

By understanding these conjugations, you can see which form of “みたいだ” is used in “みたいな” and “みたいに.”

For a detailed explanation of the differences between “〜みたい” and similar expressions such as “〜よう,” “そう,” and “らしい,” see the article below▼

Basic Rules

Now, let’s review the basic meanings and rules for “〜みたいな” and “〜みたいに.”

[Meaning]
① To describe something by comparing it to something else
② To give an example of something similar

[Rule]
Verb plain form / Noun + みたいに + Verb sentence
Verb plain form / Noun + みたいに + Adjective sentence
Verb plain form / Noun + みたいな + Noun

[Examples]
春はるなのに冬ふゆが来きたみたいな寒さむさです。
It feels like winter even though it’s spring.

わたしもゆみさんみたいな優やさしい人ひとになりたいです。
I want to be a kind person like Yumi.

この家いえはお城しろみたいに大おおきいです。
This house is as big as a castle.

マリアさんはモデルみたいにきれいです。
Maria is as beautiful as a model.

〜みたいな (JLPT N4)

“〜みたいな” is used when modifying a noun. It functions in the same way as the attributive form “〜な” of a な adjective. It means “a noun that is like ～,” and is used to describe something or someone whose qualities or type resemble something or someone else.

[Rule]
Noun + みたいな + Noun

[Examples]
今日きょうは夏なつみたいな天気てんきですね。
It feels like summer today.

これは映画えいがみたいな話はなしですね。

This sounds like something from a movie.

あの人ひとは先生せんせいみたいな話はなし方かたですね。

He speaks like a teacher.

〜みたいに (JLPT N4)

“〜みたいに” is used when modifying verbs or adjectives. It functions in the same way as the adverbial form “〜に” of a な adjective. It means “like ～ (verb/adjective)” and is used to describe an action or state that resembles another person or thing in manner or degree.

[Rule]
Noun + みたいに + Verb / Adjective

[Examples]
その鳥とりは人間にんげんみたいに話はなします。

That bird talks like a human.

悔くやしくて子供こどもみたいに泣なきました。
I cried like a child out of frustration.

この部屋へやは冷蔵れいぞう庫こみたいに寒さむいです。
This room is cold like a refrigerator.

彼女かのじょの髪かみはシルクみたいになめらかです。
Her hair is smooth like silk.

Common Mistake

One situation where learners especially need to be careful when choosing between “〜みたいな” and “〜みたいに” is when an adjective + noun appears in the sentence.

[Examples]
お城しろみたいに大おおきい家いえですね。

That house is as big as a castle.

モデルみたいにきれいな人ひとですね。
She’s as beautiful as a model.

In these sentences, a noun appears at the end (“house” and “person”), which might make it seem like “みたいな” should be used. However, the word immediately before the noun is an adjective: “大おおきい ” (big) or “きれい” (beautiful).

n this case, “みたいに” modifies the adjective.

城しろみたいに → 大おおきい → 家いえ

モデルみたいに → きれい → 人ひと

Because “みたいに” describes the degree or manner of the state (“big” or “beautiful”), we use “みたいに” rather than “みたいな.”

Cases Where Both Can Be Used

In sentences like the following, both “みたいな” and “みたいに” can be used. However, the focus of the meaning is slightly different.

[Examples]
わたしもゆみさんみたいな優やさしい人ひとになりたいです。

わたしもゆみさんみたいに優やさしい人ひとになりたいです。
I want to be a kind person like Yumi.

Both sentences are natural Japanese, but they modify different parts of the sentence.

・When using “みたいな”
“ゆみさんみたいな” modifies the noun phrase “優やさしい人ひと.”
The nuance is “a kind person who is the type of person like Yumi.” The focus is on the person’s overall character or type.

・When using “みたいに”
“ゆみさんみたいに” modifies the adjective “優やさしい.”
The nuance is “to become kind in the same way Yumi is.” The focus is on the quality or state of kindness.

When you are unsure which to use, try checking which word “みたい” is describing.

・If it describes a noun → use みたいな
・If it describes a verb or adjective → use みたいに

Keeping this point in mind will help you better understand the difference between “みたいな” and “みたいに.”

Summary

Expression	Grammatical Role	What It Modifies	Nuance
みたいな	Attributive modifier	Noun	Emphasizes similarity in qualities or type
みたいに	Adverbial modifier	Verb / Adjective	Emphasizes similarity in actions, states, or manner

Quiz

Is the verb used in the following sentence an intransitive or a transitive verb?

Click on the question to check the answer.

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