Korean: Express Doubt with 'seem', 'appear', and 'look like'
Learn to use Korean patterns like -아/어 보이다, 듯하다, and -같다 to express doubt based on appearance, e.g., 'It seems unlikely.'
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Korean, expressing doubt based on appearance often involves patterns that mean 'seem', 'appear', or 'look like'. These are different from simple uncertainty phrases like 아마도 (maybe) or 잘 모르겠다 (I don't know). This lesson focuses on how to say that something seems a certain way based on what you see or perceive. You'll learn key patterns: -아/어 보이다, -(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다, and -같다. We'll also cover how to express that something seems unlikely, using -것 같지 않다 or -듯하지 않다. By the end, you'll be able to make nuanced statements like 'It seems unlikely' or 'He looks tired' in Korean.
By the end, you can…
- use -아/어 보이다 to say something looks or seems a certain way based on appearance.
- use -(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다 to express that something seems or appears to be the case.
- use -같다 to say something seems like or looks like something.
- express doubt by negating these patterns, e.g., -것 같지 않다 for 'seems unlikely'.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
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그는 피곤해 보여요.
He looks tired.
geu-neun pi-gon-hae bo-yeo-yo
Use -아/어 보이다 after an adjective to say someone/something looks a certain way based on appearance.
비가 올 듯해요.
It looks like it will rain.
bi-ga ol deut-hae-yo
-(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다 expresses a conjecture based on evidence; here, the evidence is visual (clouds, etc.).
이 영화는 재미없을 것 같아요.
This movie seems like it won't be fun.
i yeong-hwa-neun jae-mi-eop-seul geot ga-ta-yo
-것 같다 is a versatile pattern meaning 'it seems/appears that'; here it expresses doubt about the movie's entertainment value.
그 소식은 사실이 아닌 것 같아요.
That news seems unlikely to be true.
geu so-si-geun sa-sil-i a-nin geot ga-ta-yo
Negate -것 같다 with 아닌 것 같다 to say something seems not to be the case, expressing doubt.
그가 올 것 같지 않아요.
It seems unlikely that he will come.
geu-ga ol geot gat-ji a-na-yo
Use -것 같지 않다 to directly express that something seems unlikely.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern -아/어 보이다 is used to express that something looks or seems a certain way based on appearance. It is formed by adding -아/어 보이다 to the stem of an adjective. For example, 피곤하다 (to be tired) becomes 피곤해 보이다 (to look tired). Similarly, 행복하다 (to be happy) becomes 행복해 보이다 (to look happy). This pattern is often used when you are making a judgment based on visual evidence. For instance, if you see someone yawning, you might say 그가 피곤해 보여요 (He looks tired). Another common pattern is -(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다, which means 'it seems/appears that'. It is used with verbs and adjectives. For example, 비가 오다 (to rain) becomes 비가 온 듯하다 (it seems to have rained). This pattern is more formal and is often used in writing. Finally, -같다 means 'to be like' or 'to seem'. It can be used after nouns to say something seems like a noun: 그는 학생 같아요 (He seems like a student). It can also be used after verb/adj stems with -ㄴ/은/는 것 같다 to express conjecture: 그는 피곤한 것 같아요 (He seems tired).
When to use it
Use these patterns when you want to express a judgment based on appearance or evidence, rather than stating a fact. For example, if you see dark clouds, you might say 비가 올 것 같아요 (It looks like it will rain). If you see someone smiling, you might say 그가 행복해 보여요 (He looks happy). These patterns are also useful for softening statements. Instead of saying 이 영화는 재미없어요 (This movie is not fun), you can say 이 영화는 재미없을 것 같아요 (This movie seems like it won't be fun), which is less direct. To express doubt, you can negate these patterns. For instance, 그가 올 것 같지 않아요 (It seems unlikely that he will come) uses -것 같지 않다 to express doubt. Similarly, 그 소식은 사실이 아닌 것 같아요 (That news seems unlikely to be true) uses 아닌 것 같다. These negative forms are common in everyday conversation when you want to politely disagree or express skepticism.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
내일 날씨가 어떨 것 같아요?
What do you think the weather will be like tomorrow?nae-il nal-ssi-ga eo-tteol geot ga-ta-yo?비가 올 것 같아요. 하늘이 흐려요.
It looks like it will rain. The sky is cloudy.bi-ga ol geot ga-ta-yo. ha-neu-ri heu-ryeo-yo.그럼 우산을 가져가는 게 좋겠네요.
Then it would be good to take an umbrella.geu-reom u-san-eul ga-jyeo-ga-neun ge jo-ket-ne-yo.네, 그런데 이 비가 오래 올 것 같지는 않아요.
Yes, but it seems unlikely that this rain will last long.ne, geu-reon-de i bi-ga o-rae ol geot gat-ji-neun a-na-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean, expressing doubt with these patterns is often more polite than direct negation. Using -것 같아요 can soften a statement, making it less assertive. For example, instead of saying 아니에요 (It's not), you might say 아닌 것 같아요 (It seems not to be), which sounds more considerate. This is especially important in formal situations or when speaking to someone older. Additionally, the pattern -아/어 보이다 is commonly used in everyday conversation to comment on someone's appearance, but be careful not to sound too direct about personal traits; it's usually fine for transient states like looking tired or happy.
One thing to watch for
Using -아/어 보이다 with verbs to mean 'seems to do'. For example, *그가 가 보여요 (He seems to go).
Try this instead: -아/어 보이다 is used with adjectives, not verbs. To say 'He seems to go', use 그가 가는 것 같아요 (He seems to go) or 그가 갈 듯해요 (He seems likely to go).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'She looks happy' using -아/어 보이다?
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그녀는 행복해 보여요.
This uses the adjective 행복하다 (to be happy) with -아/어 보이다 to express that she looks happy based on appearance. Other adjectives like 기뻐 보여요 (looks glad) could also work depending on context.
2Translate: 'It seems unlikely that it will snow.'
Show a sample answer
눈이 올 것 같지 않아요.
This uses the negative form -것 같지 않다 with the verb 오다 (to come) to express doubt about snow. Alternatively, you could say 눈이 올 듯하지 않아요, though it's less common.
3What is the difference between -것 같다 and -아/어 보이다?
Show a sample answer
-것 같다 is used for general conjecture based on any evidence, while -아/어 보이다 is specifically for judgments based on appearance and is used with adjectives.
-것 같다 can be used with verbs and adjectives to express 'it seems that', whereas -아/어 보이다 is only with adjectives and means 'looks/seems' based on visual cues. For example, 비가 온 것 같아요 (It seems it rained) vs. 그가 피곤해 보여요 (He looks tired).
Use -아/어 보이다 for appearance-based judgments with adjectives, -(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다 for formal conjecture, and -것 같다 for general 'seems like'. Negate with -것 같지 않다 to express doubt like 'seems unlikely'.
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