Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 7: 1/21

(おも)(よう)

As one hopes, As desired, As one thought

Structure

Phrase + (おも)ように + (Outcome)
Phrase + (おも)よう + Noun

Details

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    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About 思うように

(おも)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'. (おも)うように is simply a combination of the う-Verb (おも)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 (おも)うように, then finished with a (B) phrase indicating the outcome. When (B) is a simple noun, (よう)な will be used instead.
  • 最近(さいきん)仕事(しごと)(おも)うように()かなくてストレスが()まってきてるんだよ。
    Recently, work has not been going as well as I hoped, so I am starting to get stressed out.
  • 毎日(まいにち)漢字(かんじ)練習(れんしゅう)しているが(おも)うように上達(じょうたつ)しない。
    I am practicing kanji every day, but I am not making as much progress as I thought.
  • 事故(じこ)()ってから(ゆび)(おも)うように(うご)かなくなった。
    Since the accident, my fingers have become unable to move as I had thought.
As the (B) part of (おも)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

  • ケーキ()みたいな菓子(かし)(おも)ように(つく)れなかった。

    Making sweets like they do at the pastry shop didn't go as I had hoped it would.

  • ()(ばな)綺麗(きれい)にすることが(むずか)しくて、(おも)ようにできなかった。

    Doing flower arrangement was difficult and I wasn't able to do it as I had hoped.

  • 勉強(べんきょう)(おも)ようにできず、日本語(にほんご)上達(じょうたつ)しなかった。

    Unable to study as I had hoped, my Japanese hasn't improved.

  • (おも)ように回転(かいてん)()けられるように、(なん)()卓球(たっきゅう)練習(れんしゅう)をしました。

    I practiced table tennis many times to be able to put a spin on the ball as I desired.

  • この(くるま)(おも)ように加速(かそく)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.

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思うように – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

  • FredKore

    FredKore

    About 3 years ago

    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

    Fuga

    About 1 year ago

    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!

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