Lesson 5. “I think~” (A/V-ㄴ/은/는/ㄹ/을 것 같다)

-ㄴ/은/는/ㄹ/을 것 같다 lesson starts from 38:02 in the video above.
(this video only covers present tense, but in the review note below, you can also learn about past and future tense.)

In today’s lesson, you will learn a new expression -것 같다 and its meaning.

Before we start, make sure that you have already learned how to combine a sentence or a verb/adjective with 것 to turn it into a noun. (Verb’s Nominalization Lesson)

~것 같아요 > ~것 (the fact that, the thing) + 같다 (adj. to be same / to be like): it seems that, I think that …

So, when combining a sentence or a verb/adjective with ~것 같다 you turn a sentence or a verb into a noun:

(S) + (O) + Verb + ㄴ/는/은/ㄹ/을 + 것 같다: I think / It seems that (S + O + V)

~것 같다 is similar to ~고 생각하다, in that both can be used to express your thought.

The differences are that,

~고 생각하다 is a stronger expression,
whereas ~것 같다 is softer and less opinionated. 것 같다 is also used to state what seems to be like, rather than your firm opinion.

Also, 것 같다 can only be used to express “my” thought and what seems to be like to “me.” It cannot be used to express someone else’s thoughts, and that’s different from -고 생각하다.

Just for review, ~고 생각하다’s present tense construction goes like this:

Adjective  + 다고 생각하다

이다 Verb > 라 (X 받침) / 이라 (O 받침) + ~고 생각하다

Verb Stem + ㄴ (X 받침) / 는 (O 받침) + ~고 생각하다

Now let’s look at how the grammar construction works with  -는 것 같다.

1. Present Tense

1. Adjective / 이다 + ㄴ / 은 것 같다 
2. Verb + 는 것 같다
   *ㄹ ending irregular verb : (delete ㄹ받침)
   **adjectives that have 있다 / 없다 in it also follow verb’s rule

Let’s look at some examples:

친구가 아픈 것 같아요. – It seems my friend is sick. (adjective)

지수가 노래를 듣는 것 같아요. – Jisoo seems to be listening to music. (verb)

이 영화가 재미있는 것 같아요. I think this movie is fun. (있다 ending adjective)

지수가 서울에 사는 것 같아요. It seems Jisoo lives in Seoul. (ㄹ ending adjective)

1) Adjectives with ~것 같다

제프가 똑똑한 것 같아요 (= 저는 제프가 똑똑하다고 생각해요.) – It seems that Jeff is smart. / I think Jeff is smart.

저는 지수가 예쁜 것 같아요 (=저는 지수가 예쁘다고 생각해요.) – It seems / I think that Jisoo is pretty.

한국어가 재미있는 것 같아요 (=한국어가 재미있다고 생각해요.) – It seems / I think Korean is interesting.

한국어가 어려운 것 같아요 (=한국어가 어렵다고 생각해요.) – It seems / I think Korean is difficult.

*어렵다 > 어려 + 운 > 어려운

저는 배가 안 부른 것 같아요 (=저는 배가 안 부르다고 생각해요.) – It seems / I think I’m not full.

2) 이다 with ~것 같다

저는 제프가 천재인 것 같아요 (=저는 제프가 천재라고 생각해요.) – I think Jeff is a genius.

저는 지수가 미인인 것 같아요 (=저는 지수가 미인이라고 생각해요.) – I think Jisoo is beautiful.

한국어가 재미있는 언어인 것 같아요 (=한국어가 재미있는 언어라고 생각해요.) – I think Korean is an interesting language.

한국어가 어려운 언어인 것 같아요 (=한국어가 어려운 언어라고 생각해요.) – I think Korean is a difficult language.

3) Verb with ~것 같다

저는 제프가 지수를 좋아하는 것 같아요 (=저는 제프가 지수를 좋아한다고 생각해요.) – It seems/ I think that Jeff likes Jisoo.

제프가 한국어를 잘하는 것 같아요 (=제프가 한국어를 잘한다고 생각해요.) – It seems / I think that Jeff is good at Korean.

선생님이 수학을 열심히 가르치는 것 같아요 (=선생님이 수학을 열심히 가르친다고 생각해요.) – It seems / I think that the teacher teaches math hard.

그 가수가 노래를 잘 부르는 것 같아요 (=그 가수가 노래를 잘 부른다고 생각해요)  – It seems / I think that singer sings well.

네가 책을 많이 읽는 것 같아 (=네가 책을 많이 읽는다고 생각해.) – It seems / I think you read a lot of books.

네가 많이 먹는 것 같아 (=네가 많이 먹는다고 생각해.) – It seems / I think you eat a lot.

저는 엄마가 떡볶이를 잘 만드는 것 같아요 (=저는 엄마가 떡볶이를 잘 만든다고 생각해요.) – It seems / I think that my mom is good at making 떡볶이.

네가 나에 대해서 잘 아는 것 같아 (=네가 나에 대해서 잘 안다고 생각해.) – It seems / I think you know well about me.

생각을 표현하는 건 중요하다고 생각해요. 그래서 이 수업이 여러분에게 유익한 것 같아요. – I think it is important to express your thought. So, I think this class is helpful to you.

2. Past Tense

1. Verb-ㄴ/은 것 같다
2. Adj/이다-았/었던* 것 같다 (we will learn more about -던 in Intermediate 1 course.)

어제 지수가 남자친구를 만난 것 같아요. (=어제 지수가 남자친구를 만났다고 생각해요.) It seems / I think Jisoo met her boyfriend yesterday.

지수가 아직 안 온 것 같아요. (=지수가 아직 안 왔다고 생각해요.) It seems Jisoo didn’t come.

할머니께서 젊었을 때 예쁘셨던 것 같아요. (=할머니께서 젊었을 때 예쁘셨다고 생각해요.) It seems/ I think grandma was beautiful in younger days.

지수가 작년에 학생이었던 것 같아요. (=지수가 작년에 학생이었다고 생각해요.) It seems / I think Jisoo was a student last year.

3. Future Tense 

    Verb/Adj/이다 -ㄹ/을 것 같다
*ㄹ ending verb: no extra suffix needed (e.g. 살다(to live) >> 살 것 같다, 울다(to live) >> 울 것 같다)

지수가 안 올 것 같아요. (=지수가 안 올 거라고 생각해요.) It seems / I think Jisoo won’t come.

지수가 곧 울 것 같아요. (=지수가 곧 울 거라고 생각해요.) It seems / I think Jisoo will cry soon. 

가족을 못 만나면 슬플 것 같아요. (=가족을 못 만나면 슬플 거라고 생각해요.) If I can’t meet my family, I think I’ll be sad. 

그 아이가 열 살 일 것 같아요. (=그 아이가 열 살 일거라고 생각해요.) I think that child will/might be 10 years old.

뱃 속의 아기가 남자일 것 같아요. (=뱃 속의 아이가 남자일 거라고 생각해요.) I think the baby inside my womb(stomach) is a boy.