まるで～様(よう)だIt is entirely as if, It is just as though

まるで～ようだ is an expression in Japanese that combines the adverb まるで (sometimes written as 丸(まる)で), and combines it with a description of (A) followed by the auxiliary verb よう (with or without either だ or です after it). 丸(まる)で can be translated as 'entirely', or 'completely', while the whole expression may be understood as 'it seems entirely as though (A)'.

まるで will be used at the beginning of a sentence, before the description of what (A) seems to be like.

• このゲームはものすごくリアルだ。まるで映画(えいが)を見(み)ているようだ。

  This game is very realistic. It is as if I am watching a movie.
• あの人(ひと)は私(わたし)の母親(ははおや)と同(おな)じ年(とし)だけど運動(うんどう)神経(しんけい)がいい。まるで２０(にじゅう)代(だい)のようだ。

  That person is the same age as my mother, but is very athletic. It is as though she's in her twenties.

Instead of ようだ, other expressions of conjecture may also be used, such as みたい.

• あの人(ひと)の仕事(しごと)の仕方(しかた)はまるで楽(らく)みたいだ。

  How that person works looks as if it is super easy.
• 彼(かれ)は弟(おとうと)にそっくりだ。まるで兄弟(きょうだい)みたいだ。

  He looks very similar to my younger brother. It is as if they are siblings.

Caution

The 'as if' or 'as though' nuance of まるで～ようだ comes primarily from either ようだ, or みたいだ, with まるで simply meaning 'entirely', or 'completely' in almost all situations.

• お客(きゃく)さんと話(はな)すときにはちゃんと目(め)を見(み)て話(はな)せ！目(め)を見(み)ていないとまるでお客(きゃく)さんの話(はなし)を聞(き)いていないみたいじゃないか。

  Look at the customers eyes when you talk to them! If you don't make eye contact, it is as though you are not listening to what they are saying.
• なんだそのフォームは？まるでなってないぞ！

  What is that form? That is completely unacceptable. (Natural, but different meaning)