GrammarJLPT N5
→ quite
As if / Completely / Just like
JLPT N5AdverbNeutral
まるで is an adverb with two distinct but related uses. In its most common use, まるで appears together with expressions like ようだ, みたいだ, or かのようだ to create vivid similes, meaning "as if" or "just like." It emphasizes that something closely resembles something else, even though it is not actually that thing. In its second use, まるで pairs with a negative predicate to mean "not at all" or "completely not," functioning similarly to 全然〜ない. The word literally conveys a sense of totality or completeness — whether something completely resembles something else, or something is completely absent. The simile use is more frequent and is what most learners encounter first. Compared to the more literary あたかも, まるで is natural in both spoken and written Japanese and does not carry a stiff or bookish tone.
Functions
#1 Expressing a simile — "as if" / "just like"
Structure
まるで + [phrase] + ようだ / みたいだ
彼女はまるで子どものように楽しそうに遊んでいた。
Here まるで is paired with ように to create a simile comparing an adult's behavior to that of a child. The speaker does not literally mean that the person is a child, but rather that her joyful way of playing closely resembled a child's. まるで adds emphasis to the comparison, making the resemblance feel vivid and striking. Without まるで, the sentence would still be grammatical, but the simile would feel less dramatic.She was playing happily, just like a child.
Structures
- Simile (as if / just like)
- まるで + [phrase] + ようだ / みたいだ / かのようだ
- Total negation (not at all)
- まるで + [negative predicate]
Common mistakes
A very common mistake is using まるで in a simile sentence but forgetting to include ようだ, みたいだ, or a similar ending — まるで by itself does not complete the comparison and the sentence will sound unfinished. Another frequent error is confusing the simile use with the negation use; learners sometimes pair まるで with an affirmative predicate without any simile marker, which results in a grammatically awkward sentence. Additionally, some learners mix up まるで with 全部 (meaning "all" in terms of quantity), but まるで expresses the degree or completeness of a state, not a countable amount. Finally, be careful not to confuse まるで with the more literary あたかも; while they share the "as if" meaning, あたかも is far more formal and is rarely used in casual speech.
Related
まるで〜ようだまるで〜みたいだあたかもようだみたいだ全然〜ない