Structure
Phrase + 思うように + (Outcome)
Phrase + 思うような + Noun
Details
Register
Standard
About 思うように
思うように is a common sentence pattern in Japanese that is used for illustrating when something either does or does not happen in the way that one had thought. This phrase may be interpreted as 'as one hopes', 'as desired', or 'as one thought'. 思うように is simply a combination of the う-Verb 思う and the conjunctive form of the auxiliary verb ようだ, ように.
Typical sentence structures that use this pattern will start with an (A) phrase highlighting the 'expectation', be followed by 思うように, then finished with a (B) phrase indicating the outcome. When (B) is a simple noun, 様な will be used instead.
As the (B) part of 思うように sentences will contain the information about whether the 'expectation' of (A) either was or was not met, this phrase may be used either positively or negatively to show that something did not meet, met, or even exceeded that expectation.
Examples
--:--
Get more example sentences!
Premium users get access to 12 example sentences on all Grammar Points.
この車は思うように加速しないからイライラする。
It is irritating that this car doesn't accelerate like I hoped it would.
オーケストラのメンバー集めが思うようにいきません。
Assembling orchestra members is not going as I had hoped it would.
プリンを作ったら、思うように固まらなくて困った。
When I made pudding, I had trouble getting it to firm up like I hoped it would.
ケーキ屋みたいなお菓子が思うように作れなかった。
Making sweets like they do at the pastry shop didn't go as I had hoped it would.
育児というのは、親の思うようにはいかないものです。
Childcare is known as something that is expected to not go how the parents hope it will.
Self-Study Sentences
Study your own way!
Add sentences and study them alongside Bunpro sentences.
Online
思うように+Negative-ない
LearnJapanese [video]
思うように
E-Japanese
All uses of ように listed and explained
BriefJapanese
Offline
Tobira
Page 219
[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 229
Track Resources!
Bunpro tracks all of the resources you’ve visited, and offers relevant bookmarks of physical books to help with offline tracking.
思うように – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (2 in total)
FredKore
What’s the difference between 思うように and 思ったように?
(They seem to be used interchangeably but there has to be a nuance difference.)Fuga
Hey @FredKore !
We apologize for the late response.
思うように and 思ったように doesn’t have a difference in nuance, and they can be used interchangeably!
Got questions about 思うように? Join us to discuss, ask, and learn together!
Join the Discussion