Learn Hardcore Japanese: kono yume mo sukosi genzituteki ni omoeru. - Even this dream seems a little realistic.

Japanese drops pronouns constantly. The sentence focuses on この夢 (this dream), and the thinker/feeler (the person it seems to) is left understood.

What exactly does も do in この夢も? How is it different from は or が?

も means also / too / even, and it usually suggests comparison or addition.

この夢は少し現実的に思える。
– This dream seems a little realistic. (no explicit comparison)
この夢も少し現実的に思える。
– This dream *also seems a little realistic.*
→ Implies:
- There is another dream (or other plan/idea) that also seemed realistic, and this one does too; or
- There are many dreams, and this one is also on the realistic side.

Compared:

は – topic marker: as for this dream…
が – subject marker: this dream is what seems…
も – this dream too / this dream even…

So も carries the nuance of in addition to something else already mentioned or understood.

Why is 現実的 followed by に? Why not 現実的だ or 現実的な?

現実的 is a na-adjective (現実的な + noun / 現実的だ at sentence end).

As a predicate:
- この夢は現実的だ。 – This dream is realistic.

To modify a verb (here, 思える), na-adjectives usually take に, forming an adverb-like phrase:

現実的に思える – seems realistic(ally) / seems in a realistic way

So:

現実的だ → is realistic (describes a state)
現実的に → realistically / in a realistic way (describes how it seems)

現実的な would need to modify a noun, e.g.:

現実的な夢 – a realistic dream

What is the role of に here: 現実的に思える? Is this the same に as in locations or indirect objects?

This に is the adverbial に used with na-adjectives and some nouns to express in an X way or X-ly.

静か → 静かに話す – speak quietly
簡単 → 簡単にできる – can do it easily
現実的 → 現実的に思える – seems realistic(ally)

It is not marking:

a location (学校に行く)
a time (三時に会う)
an indirect object (彼にあげる)

Instead, it turns 現実的 into an adverbial phrase modifying the verb 思える.

What is the nuance difference between 思う and 思える?

思う – to think, to believe, to feel (volitional / active):
- この夢は少し現実的だと思う。
  – I think this dream is a little realistic.
思える – potential / intransitive-like form, often used to mean:
- seems, appears, comes across as, feels like (to me)

So:

この夢も少し現実的に思える。
– This dream, too, seems a little realistic (to me).
→ Emphasis on how it appears/feels, not a strong, deliberate judgment.
この夢も少し現実的だと思う。
→ Stronger, more explicit I think… statement.

思える is softer and more subjective, like saying it feels/comes off as… rather than I assert that….

Could I also say この夢も少し現実的だと思える? Is that natural?

It’s grammatically possible but not the most natural choice in everyday speech.

現実的に思える – compact, idiomatic: seems realistic
現実的だと思える – more like I can think that it is realistic; it sounds a bit indirect or overcomplicated.

More natural patterns:

この夢も少し現実的に思える。 – This dream too seems a little realistic.
この夢も少し現実的だと思う。 – I think this dream too is a little realistic.

Use either 現実的に思える or 現実的だと思う, not usually a combination like 現実的だと思える.

Can 夢 here mean both a sleeping dream and a life dream (goal/ambition)?

Yes. 夢 has two main common meanings:

A dream you see while sleeping.
A dream/ideal/ambition in life.

Context decides which is meant:

子どものころの夢 – childhood dream (often ambition)
変な夢を見た。 – I had a weird dream (sleeping dream)
この夢も少し現実的に思える。
– could be:
- This (life) dream/goal, too, seems a little realistic.
- Or a literal dream, depending on the surrounding context.

Without extra context, learners often interpret it as a goal/ambition in this kind of sentence.

Why is the sentence in plain form 思える and not polite 思えます?

Japanese has two main levels here:

Plain form (dictionary form): 思える
Polite form (ます-form): 思えます

Plain form is used:

In casual conversation with friends/family
In narratives, novels, internal monologue
When the overall context is casual

Polite form is used:

With strangers, in customer service, at work (depending on hierarchy)
In most formal writing aimed at customers/clients

So:

この夢も少し現実的に思える。 – casual
この夢も少し現実的に思えます。 – polite

Both are grammatically fine; the choice depends on the situation and relationship.

What is the nuance difference between 少し and ちょっと here? Could I say ちょっと現実的に思える?

You can say ちょっと現実的に思える, and it’s natural.

Nuances (very context‑dependent):

少し
- Slightly more neutral and a bit more written / formal-sounding
- Often just means a little / a bit without strong emotion.
ちょっと
- Very common in spoken Japanese
- Can sound more casual, emotional, or softening
- Has additional uses (e.g., ちょっと無理です – It’s a bit difficult → polite refusal)

In この夢も少し現実的に思える, 少し keeps the tone relatively neutral.
With ちょっと:

この夢もちょっと現実的に思える。
– This dream, too, feels kind of realistic. (slightly more conversational)

Could I replace 思える with 見える and say この夢も少し現実的に見える? What would change?

You can say it, but the nuance shifts:

思える – seems / feels (to my mind/heart)
- Subjective impression, inner sense.
- この夢も少し現実的に思える。
  – This dream too seems a little realistic (to me).
  → Focus on your evaluation/judgment.
見える – looks / appears (visually or outwardly)
- Often more about outward appearance or how something comes across from the outside.
- この夢も少し現実的に見える。
  – This dream too looks a little realistic.
  → Can imply: based on what you can see/observe (numbers, plan, details), it appears realistic.

Both are possible, but:

Use 思える when stressing your personal feeling or evaluation.
Use 見える when you’re emphasizing how it appears from the outside or at a glance.