When partnered with verbs in the
potential form, or in the negative form, the 助動詞(じょどうし) (auxiliary verb)
ようだ (in its adverbial form
ように) implies that the speaker has a lack of direct control over an outcome, and therefore is ‘trying to do (B) in the manner of (A)’, but cannot guarantee the result. This grammar point is usually translated as ‘to do (A) in such a way that will enable (B)’, or ‘in order to allow (B)’.
To use
ように in this way, simply add it to the non-past form of any verb in its negative, or
potential conjugation.
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お母(かあ)さんから離(はな)れないように手(て)をつなぐ。
I hold my mothers hands so that I won’t get separated from her.
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泥棒(どろぼう)が入(はい)れないように家(いえ)のカギを閉(し)める。
I lock my house, so that burglars can't come in.
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マイケルジャクソンみたいに踊(おど)れるように毎日(まいにち)ダンスの練習(れんしゅう)をする。
I practice dancing everyday, so that I can dance like Michael Jackson.
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日本語(にほんご)をペラペラに話(はな)せるように毎日(まいにち)近所(きんじょ)の人(ひと)と日本語(にほんご)で話(はなし)をしている。
I speak Japanese with my neighbor everyday, so that I can speak Japanese fluently.
As mentioned in our lesson about
potential verbs,
する does not actually have a
potential form, and therefore
できる will be used instead.
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勉強(べんきょう)ができるように机(つくえ)の上(うえ)を掃除(そうじ)した。
I tidied up my desk so that I could study.
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平日(へいじつ)にスキーが出来(でき)るように仕事(しごと)を休(やす)んだ。
I took the day off of work, in order to be able to ski on a weekday.