것 같다/것 같아요 grammar meaning

~ 것 같다 grammar/ ~것 같아요 grammar (I think, It seems that in Korean)
~ 것 같다 grammar is translated as I think/ its like/ it seems/ looks like in English. For example-
저 사람은 중국사람 같아요. That man looks like a Chinese man.
아이는 잘 자는것 같아요. I think the baby is sleeping well./ In my guess the baby is sleeping well.

‘은, 는, 인, 것 같다’ attached after an adjective stem, a verb stem, and a noun respectively. This expression is a combination of ‘은/는’, and ‘것’ and an adjective ‘같다’ which means same, similar, like. 은, 는, 인’ describe the following noun ‘것.

것 같아요 grammar has two different types of endings. First one is

(ㄹ/을)것 같다 grammar

This is used to express a weak guess and you can only be used to express something that has not yet happened or that does someone or the speaker has not yet experienced. It is because the particles ㄹ and 을 are indicating something in the future.

It shows a very weak and soft guess. This is because there is either little or no evidence to support the guess. And sometimes it is just used to be polite. Let’s take a look at examples –
먹을 것 같다 – to think that someone will probably eat.
지금은 배가 안 고파서 이따가 먹을것 같아요.
I’m not really hungry right now, so I think I’m going to eat a meal later.

할 것 같다
This is means to think that someone will probably do.
다음주에 손님이 올 거라서 아마 내일 청소 할 것 같아요. A guest will visit my place next week, so I think I’m going to clean the house tomorrow.

맛있을 것 같아요
This means – To think that it will probably be delicious.

(ㄹ/을)것 같다 grammar Rule

1) When a verb ends with a vowel, put ㄹ
오다(To come) + ㄹ = 올 것 같다 (To think that one will probably come)
하다(To do) + ㄹ = 할 것 같아요 (To think that one will probably do)
고민하다 to be distressed (due to a worry)+ ㄹ = 고민할 것 같아요 (To guess that one will probably worry)

2) When a verb ends with a consonant, Put 을
읽다: to read + 을 = 읽을 것 같다 (To think that one will probably read)
맛있다 (To be delicious) + 을 = 맛있을 것 같아요 (To think that something will probably be delicious)

3) When a verb ends with ㄹ, you have nothing to worry about, just combine it with the sentence ending
만들다: to make/create = 만들 것 같아요 (To think that one will probably make)
팔다 (To sell) = 팔 것 같아요 (To think that one will probably sell)

(은/는) 것 같다 grammar

It is used to express a stronger guess than the (ㄹ/을)것 같다. It can only be used to express something that already happened or that someone or the speaker has or had already experienced and in most cases, it is used when the speaker knows some fact already but doesn’t want to sound too straightforward because he or she wants to be polite or to soften the tone.

This ending is used to emphasize the present progressive tense. let’s take a look at this

먹는 것 같다
to think that someone is probably eating.

먹고 있는 것 같아요.
to think that someone is probably eating now.

잔 것 같다
To think that someone is probably sleeping.
To think that someone had probably slept.

You can also say (았/었/했 던 것 같다) in daily life. which has the same meaning as (은/는) 것 같다.

은/는 것 같다 grammar Rule

• 는 : Particle for present tense
• 은 : Particle for past tense

는 것 같다 Rule

1) Put 는 after a verb stem

• 가다(To go) + 는 = 가는 것 같다 (To think that one is probably going)
• 먹다 (To eat) + 는 = 먹는 것 같다 (To think that one is probably eating)

2) When a verb ends with ㄹ, take out of ㄹ
팔다 (To sell) + 는 = 파는 것 같다 (To think that one is probably selling)

ㄴ/은 것 같다 grammar rule

1) When a verb ends with a vowel, put ㄴ
가다 (To go) + ㄴ = 간 것 같다 (To think that one has/had probably gone)
자다 (To sleep) + ㄴ = 잔 것 같다 (To think that one has/had probably slept)

2) When a verb ends with a consonant, put 은

먹다 (To eat) + 은 = 먹은 것 같다 (To think that one has/had probably eaten)
읽다 (To read) + 은 = 읽은 것 같다 (To think that one has/had probably read)

3) When a verb ends with ㄹ, take out of ㄹ and attach ㄴ

팔다 (To sell) + ㄴ = 판 것 같다 (To think that one has/had probably sold)

You can also use 았/었/했 던 것 같다 form in spoken Korean. There’s no exact rule on how to conjugate verbs with 았/었/했 던 것 같다.

In Korean, ㅏ,ㅗ are considered to be a “bright sound” whereas ㅓ,ㅜ,ㅡ are considered to be a “dark sound”. For example,
알다 (To know) + 았 = 알았던 것 같다

가다 (To go) + 았 = 갔던 것 같다. (When a verb ending has ㅏvowel, you have to attach ㅆ)

좋다 (To be good) + 았 = 좋았던 것 같다. (There is ㅗ in 좋다, so ㅏ has attached)

먹다 (To eat) + 었 = 먹었던 것 같다

만들다 (To make) + 었 = 만들었던 것 같다.

인 것 같다 grammar

인 것 같다 is used after a noun. 인 것 같다’ is used whether a noun has a final consonant or not. ‘인 것 같다’ is the combination of ‘이다’ and ‘ㄴ 것 같다’. A noun is placed before ”이다’. So it becomes ‘Noun-인 것 같다’.

‘학생'(student)
‘학생'(student) has the final consonant.
So ‘학생인 것 같다’.

의사 (doctor)’
‘의사’, has no final consonant.
So ‘의사인 것 같다’