것 같다 (geot gatda) Korean Grammar: It seems, I think

beginner

Says what you think is true without being sure: "I think…", "it seems…".

Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language

Verb + 는Verb + neun+것 같아요geot gatayo I think … / it seems …

Now: verbs and 있다/없다 words take 는 neun, adjectives take (으)ㄴ (eu)n.
Past (verbs): (으)ㄴ (eu)n. A looser guess, often about what will happen: (으)ㄹ (eu)l.

Build it

오다oda오는 것 같아요oneun geot gatayoit seems to be coming

바쁘다bappeuda바쁜 것 같아요bappeun geot gatayothey seem busy

맛있다masitda맛있는 것 같아요masinneun geot gatayoI think it tastes good

춥다chupda추울 것 같아요chuul geot gatayoI think it'll be cold

The forms you need

Now (verb)

가는 것 같아요ganeun geot gatayoit seems they are going

Now (adjective)

좋은 것 같아요joeun geot gatayoI think it is good

Past

간 것 같아요gan geot gatayoit seems they went

Later

갈 것 같아요gal geot gatayoI think they'll go

When to use it

Guessing from what you see

You have a clue, but you're not sure.

불이 꺼졌네요. 아무도 없는 것 같아요.buri kkeojyeonneyo. amudo eomneun geot gatayo.The lights are off. Looks like nobody's home.

Softening an opinion

Koreans use it even when they're fairly sure.

이 색이 더 예쁜 것 같아요.i saegi deo yeppeun geot gatayo.I think this color is prettier.

Predicting

(으)ㄹ 것 같다 is often used for what will probably happen.

내일 비가 올 것 같아요.naeil biga ol geot gatayo.I think it's going to rain tomorrow.

Watch out

바쁘는 것 같아요.

바쁜 것 같아요.bappeun geot gatayo.They seem busy.

Adjectives take (으)ㄴ in the present, not 는.

맛있은 것 같아요.

맛있는 것 같아요.masinneun geot gatayo.I think it tastes good.

Words ending in 있다/없다 take 는: 맛있는 masinneun.

In context

9 examples

1
밖에 비가 오는 것 같아요.
Bakke biga oneun geot gatayo.
I think it's raining outside.
2
그 사람은 정말 피곤한 것 같아요.
Geu sarameun jeongmal pigonhan geot gatayo.
He seems really tired.
3
시험이 어려울 것 같아요.
Siheomi eoryeoul geot gatayo.
I think the test is going to be hard.
4
지갑을 집에 두고 온 것 같아요.
Jigabeul jibe dugo on geot gatayo.
I think I left my wallet at home.
5
이 옷은 저한테 좀 작은 것 같아요.
I oseun jeohante jom jageun geot gatayo.
I think these clothes are a bit small on me.
6
민수 씨는 한국어를 잘하는 것 같아요.
Minsu ssineun hangugeoreul jalhaneun geot gatayo.
Minsu seems to speak Korean well.
7
오늘은 일찍 끝날 것 같아요.
Oneureun iljjik kkeunnal geot gatayo.
I think we'll finish early today.
8
감기에 걸린 것 같아요.
Gamgie geollin geot gatayo.
I think I've caught a cold.
9
전화를 안 받는 걸 보니 바쁜 것 같아요.
Jeonhwareul an banneun geol boni bappeun geot gatayo.
She's not picking up, so she must be busy.

Practice

8 questions

Which form?1 / 8

바쁘다, now + 것 같아요

Why Koreans say 것 같아요 so often

You'll hear 것 같아요 all the time, even from people who are completely sure of what they're saying. That's because stating an opinion flatly can sound blunt in Korean, so 것 같다 works a lot like "I think" in English:

이게 더 좋아요. ige deo joayo "This one is better." It sounds like a fact.
이게 더 좋은 것 같아요. ige deo joeun geot gatayo "I think this one is better." It sounds like your opinion, which is more polite.

With friends, drop the 요: 좋은 것 같아 joeun geot gata.

"It probably happened": 았/었을 것 같다

To guess about something that has probably already happened, put 았/었 before (으)ㄹ:

지금쯤 도착했을 것 같아요. jigeumjjeum dochakaesseul geot gatayo "They've probably arrived by now."

Compare it with 도착한 것 같아요 dochakan geot gatayo, "It looks like they've arrived," which you'd say when you have a clue, like a text saying they're there.

Look it up in the dictionary

The entry for 는 것 같다 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.

는 것 같다 in the Naver Korean Dictionary (in Korean) 는 것 같다 in the Basic Korean Dictionary (NIKL) (with English)