TOPIK II · LEVEL 3
-아/어 보이다
A-아/어 보이다 means 'to look / seem (adjective)' based on appearance.
경험·시도Trying & experienceHan: With a noun you need 처럼 or (으)로: 학생처럼 보여요.
Examples
이 케이크 정말 맛있어 보여요!This cake looks really delicious!
그 사람은 나이보다 젊어 보여요.That person looks younger than their age.
오늘 많이 피곤해 보여요.You look really tired today.
Don’t mix up
-아/어 보이다vs-(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다-아/어 보이다 is based on what you see; -는 것 같다 is any kind of guess: 피곤해 보여요 (by their face) vs 피곤한 것 같아요.How to build it
A+아/어/해 보이다
피곤하다 → 피곤해 보여요, 맛있다 → 맛있어 보여요
- Attaches to adjectives (and 있다/없다), not action verbs.
- With a noun: N처럼 보이다 / N(으)로 보이다: 학생처럼 보여요.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 그 사람은 학생 보여요.
Right: 그 사람은 학생처럼 보여요.
With a noun you need 처럼 or (으)로: 학생처럼 보여요.
Practise -아/어 보이다 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -(으)ㄴ/는 척하다Shows that someone deliberately acts as if something were true when it is not: 'pretend to / act as if'.
- -(으)ㄴ/는 편이다-(으)ㄴ/는 편이다 softly says that something is 'rather' or 'on the whole' a certain way compared with what is usual or average.
- -아/어 드리다The humble form of -아/어 주다: do something for someone older or higher in status, such as parents, teachers or customers. Also the polite way to offer help: 도와드릴까요?
- -기만 하다-기만 하다 means 'only / just keep doing A' (and nothing else), often with a complaining tone.
- -(으)ㅁ-(으)ㅁ turns a verb or adjective into a noun; it is used in notes, notices, memos and written records.
- -(으)며-(으)며 is a formal, written 'and' (listing) or 'while' (two actions at once).
- -(이)야-(이)야 emphasizes a topic as obvious or as the only one meant: 'as for N, of course …'.
- -(으)ㄹ 겸-(으)ㄹ 겸 gives one of two or more purposes for a single action: 'partly to …, and also to …'.
- -(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다-(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다 expresses regret: 'I should have done …' (but didn't).