haru Korean › Grammar › Level 2A › A-(으)ㄴ/V-는/N인 것 같다
A-(으)ㄴ/V-는/N인 것 같다 — I think … · it seems … — guessing, and saying your opinion softly
I think … · it seems … — guessing, and saying your opinion softly. Korean grammar for upper beginner learners — Level 2A, lesson 4: 이 옷, 좀 큰 것 같아요 (I think these clothes are a bit big — guessing and comparing).
What it means
것 같다 means 'it seems' or 'I think'. Use it to guess from what you see or hear — people outside have umbrellas, so 비가 오는 것 같아요 — and, very often, to give your opinion softly: 이 옷은 좀 큰 것 같아요 sounds kinder than 이 옷은 커요. The part before 것 is the describing form you already know from A-(으)ㄴ N and V-는 N. Adjectives take -(으)ㄴ: 작은, 큰, and as usual 길다 → 긴, 가볍다 → 가벼운. Action verbs take -는 whatever the 받침, and ㄹ drops: 오는, 먹는, 살다 → 사는. Words ending in 있다 or 없다 take -는 too: 맛있는 것 같아요. Nouns take 인: 학생인 것 같아요 (and 아니다 → 아닌: 학생이 아닌 것 같아요). For something that has already happened, use the past describing form V-(으)ㄴ from Lesson 2: 비가 온 것 같아요, 'it seems it rained'. 것 같아요 itself stays in the present, because you are guessing now. A guess about the future, -(으)ㄹ 것 같다, comes in Lesson 7.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A-(으)ㄴ 것 같아요 | 형용사 — 받침 O -은 · 받침 X · ㄹ -ㄴ · ㅂ -운 | 작다 → 작은 것 같아요 |
| V-는 것 같아요 | 동사 · 있다 · 없다 — with or without 받침 (ㄹ drops: 사는) | 오다 → 오는 것 같아요 |
| N인 것 같아요 | 명사 — with or without 받침 | 학생 → 학생인 것 같아요 |
Key points
- Adjective + -(으)ㄴ 것 같아요 (큰 · 작은) · verb + -는 것 같아요 (오는 · 어울리는) · noun + 인 것 같아요 (학생인)
- Use it to guess — or to say what you think softly: 좀 큰 것 같아요 is kinder than 커요
Examples
- 크다 → 큰 것 같아요. 작다 → 작은 것 같아요. 길다 → 긴 것 같아요.
- 오다 → 오는 것 같아요. 어울리다 → 어울리는 것 같아요. 살다 → 사는 것 같아요.
- 맛있다 → 맛있는 것 같아요. (있다 · 없다 → 는)
- 학생 → 학생인 것 같아요. 세일 상품 → 세일 상품인 것 같아요.
- 지금: 비가 오는 것 같아요. 벌써: 비가 온 것 같아요.
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 2A, lesson 4; Yonsei University Korean 1-2, lesson 18; Sogang University Korean 2B, lesson 2; Ewha Womans University Korean 2-1, lesson 7; Hongik University Korean 2B, lesson 8; Hanyang University Korean 2-2, lesson 11.
Also in this lesson
- N보다 (더) (1B 복습·확장) — than — comparing two things with 보다
- A/V-았으면/었으면 좋겠다 — I wish … · I hope … — saying what you would like to be true