-(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다

Use it to say that something seems to be true based on what you notice, or to make your own opinion sound softer and more polite.

추측·판단Guessing & judging

Han: 맵다 is an adjective, so in the present it takes -(으)ㄴ (매운), not -는; -는 is for verbs and 있다/없다.

Examples

저 사람은 이 회사 직원인 것 같아요.That person seems to be an employee of this company.

이 바지는 저한테 좀 작은 것 같아요.I think these trousers are a bit small for me.

밖에 비가 오는 것 같아요. 우산 가져가세요.It seems to be raining outside. Take an umbrella.

민수 씨는 벌써 집에 간 것 같아요.Minsu seems to have already gone home.

Don’t mix up

-(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다vs-(으)ㄹ 것 같다-(으)ㄹ 것 같다 guesses about something not yet happening; -는 것 같다 is about what seems to be happening now: 하늘을 보니 비가 올 것 같아요 vs 소리를 들으니 비가 오는 것 같아요.

-(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다vsA + -아/어 보이다-아/어 보이다 is based only on how something looks; -(으)ㄴ 것 같다 can rest on any clue: 얼굴이 피곤해 보여요 vs 요즘 일이 많아서 피곤한 것 같아요.

-(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다vs-겠어요-겠어요 is an instant reaction to what you just saw or heard; -는 것 같다 sounds more like a considered opinion: (음식을 보고) 맛있겠어요! vs (먹어 보고) 좀 짠 것 같아요.

How to build it

V+는 것 같다 (now)

V+(으)ㄴ 것 같다 (past)

A+(으)ㄴ 것 같다 (now)

N+인 것 같다

오다 → 오는 것 같아요 / 온 것 같아요; 작다 → 작은 것 같아요; 학생 → 학생인 것 같아요

Tense is usually shown in the modifier before 것, not on 같다: 가는 것 같아요 (seems to be going), 간 것 같아요 (seems to have gone). 같았어요 means 'it seemed so at that time'.
Adjectives in the present take -(으)ㄴ, not -는: 작은 것 같아요, 매운 것 같아요. Exception: words ending in 있다/없다 take -는 (맛있는 것 같아요).
For a guess about the future or something that has not happened yet, use -(으)ㄹ 것 같다 instead: 내일 추울 것 같아요.

Classic mistake

Wrong: ~~이 음식은 좀 맵는 것 같아요.~~

Right: 이 음식은 좀 매운 것 같아요.

맵다 is an adjective, so in the present it takes -(으)ㄴ (매운), not -는; -는 is for verbs and 있다/없다.

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