-(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 듯(하다)

A written-style way to guess, 'it seems / it looks like', the bookish counterpart of -(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다; used as -듯(하다) at the end, or as -(으)ㄴ/는 듯 to link a description to the next clause.

추측·판단Guessing & judging

Han: Adjectives take -(으)ㄴ before 듯하다; -는 is only for verbs (and 있다/없다).

Examples

그는 내 말을 이해하지 못한 듯 고개를 갸웃거렸다.He tilted his head, as if he hadn't understood what I said.

하늘이 잔뜩 흐린 것을 보니 곧 비가 쏟아질 듯하다.Judging by the heavily overcast sky, it looks like it will pour soon.

업계에 따르면 신제품은 다음 달 초에 출시될 듯하다.According to the industry, the new product looks set to launch early next month.

Don’t mix up

-(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 듯(하다)vs-(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다Same guess; 것 같다 is everyday speech, 듯하다 is written: 비가 올 것 같아요 (talking) vs 곧 비가 올 듯하다 (writing).-(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 듯(하다)vs-(으)ㄴ/는 듯이The linking 듯 in rule 4 is just -(으)ㄴ/는 듯이 with 이 dropped; both describe the manner of the next action ('as if'), whereas 듯하다 makes a guess and ends the sentence: 모르는 듯(이) 고개를 저었다 vs 그는 아무것도 모르는 듯하다.

How to build it

V+는 듯 (present)

V+(으)ㄴ 듯 (past)

V·A+(으)ㄹ 듯 (guess, often about the future)

A+(으)ㄴ 듯

N+인 듯

하다 or 싶다

오다 → 오는 듯하다, 온 듯하다, 올 듯하다; 바쁘다 → 바쁜 듯하다; 학생 → 학생인 듯하다

Choose the modifier as with 것 같다: verbs take 는 (now) or (으)ㄴ (done); adjectives take (으)ㄴ, not 는 (바쁜 듯하다, not 바쁘는 듯하다), except those ending in 있다/없다 (맛있는 듯하다). (으)ㄹ gives a guess with less direct evidence, usually about the future but also about the present or past: 비가 올 듯하다, 지금쯤 도착했을 듯하다.
듯하다 and 듯싶다 are auxiliary adjectives written as one word (올 듯하다); 듯싶다 sounds a little more personal and tentative.
It belongs to writing and formal speech (news, essays, reports); in conversation it sounds bookish, so -(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다 is the normal choice. Headlines and captions may end in bare -듯: 다음 달 출시될 듯.
As a linker, -(으)ㄴ/는 듯 means 'seemingly, as if' and leads into the next clause: 비가 올 듯 하늘이 어둡다.

Classic mistake

Wrong: ~~그 사람은 요즘 많이 바쁘는 듯해요.~~

Right: 그 사람은 요즘 많이 바쁜 듯해요.

Adjectives take -(으)ㄴ before 듯하다; -는 is only for verbs (and 있다/없다).

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