If you’re learning Korean, you’ve probably come across the grammar pattern ‘-아/어 보이다’. This essential expression is used to describe how someone or something appears to the eye. In this post, you’ll learn how to use ‘-아/어 보이다’ correctly in Korean grammar with clear explanations and real-life examples.
Contents
1. Definition
‘-아/어 보이다’ is used to express the speaker’s impression or assumption based on appearance. It often translates to “look(s)…” or “seem(s)…” in English.
2. Form (Structure)
Attach ‘-아/어 보이다’ to the adjective stem based on the final vowel:
| Adjective Type | Rule | Example |
| Ends in ㅏ or ㅗ | Use -아 보이다 | 예쁘다 → 예뻐 보이다 (pretty -> looks pretty) |
| Other vowels | Use -어 보이다 | 피곤하다 → 피곤해 보이다 (tired -> looks tired) |
| 하다 adjectives | 하다 → 해 보이다 | 행복하다 → 행복해 보이다 (happy -> looks happy) |
📌 Note: This form is only used with adjectives, not verbs.
3. Meaning & Usage
‘-아/어 보이다’ is used to describe how something looks or seems based on its external appearance. It does not express a confirmed fact but rather a personal observation or guess.
1. Expressing someone’s physical or emotional state
- 피곤하다 → 피곤해 보이네요. (You look tired.)
- 좋다 → 기분이 좋아 보이던데요. (You seemed to be in a good mood.)
- 건강하다 → 아버지는 항상 건강해 보이세요. (Father always looks healthy.)
- 슬프다 → 친구가 좀 슬퍼 보였어요. (My friend looked a bit sad.)
- 외롭다 → 그 아이는 외로워 보였어요. (That child looked lonely.)
2. Describing appearance (style, looks, etc.)
- 예쁘다 → 그 옷 예뻐 보여요. (That outfit looks pretty.)
- 맛있다 → 이 음식 맛있어 보여요. (This food looks delicious.)
- 따뜻하다 → 이 집은 따뜻해 보여요. (This house looks cozy.)
- 비싸다 → 그 가방 비싸 보여요. (That bag looks expensive.)
- 똑똑하다 → 저 사람은 똑똑해 보여요. (That person looks smart.)
3. Giving polite feedback or observation
- 잘하다 → 발표 준비를 잘한 것처럼 보여요. (It looks like you prepared well for your presentation.)
- 없다 → 걱정이 없어 보여요. (You seem worry-free.)
- 자상하다 → 저 분은 자상해 보여요. (That person seems caring.)
- 쉽다 → 이번 프로젝트는 쉬워 보여요. (This project looks easy.)
- 좋다 → 날씨가 좋아 보여요. (The weather looks nice.)
4. Talking about appearance with a soft tone
- 예쁘다 → 오늘 화장 안 해도 예뻐 보여. (You look pretty even without makeup today.)
- 붓다 → 눈이 좀 부어 보여요. (Your eyes look a bit swollen.)
- 맛있다 → 피자가 정말 맛있어 보여요. (The pizza looks really tasty.)
- 복잡하다 → 길이 복잡해 보여요. (The street looks crowded.)
- 편하다 → 이 신발 편해 보여요. (These shoes look comfortable.)
5. Using it to express assumptions gently
- 많다 → 일이 많아 보여요. (It seems like you have a lot of work.)
- 바쁘다 → 그 사람은 바빠 보여요. (That person looks busy.)
- 고민하다 → 많이 고민한 것처럼 보여요. (It looks like you’ve been thinking a lot.)
- 어렵다 → 이 문제는 어려워 보여요. (This problem looks difficult.)
- 재미있다 → 그 영화는 재미있어 보여요. (That movie looks fun.)
4. Key Points to Remember
- Only used with adjectives, not verbs.
- Expresses assumption based on appearance, not certainty.
- Commonly used in both casual and polite situations.
- Tense is shown in the context, not by changing 보이다.
- Often used with honorific expressions like ‘보이세요’.
5. Practice Exercises
Fill in the blanks using the correct form of ‘-아/어 보이다’ based on the hint provided.
- 민수 씨가 오늘 ___________________. (tired) (Minsu looks tired today.)
- 이 음식이 정말 ___________________. (delicious) (This food looks really delicious.)
- 선생님은 항상 ___________________. (kind) (The teacher always looks kind.)
- 저 신발은 ___________________. (comfortable) (Those shoes look comfortable.)
- 시험이 ___________________. (difficult) (The exam looks difficult.)
- 그 강아지는 ___________________. (cute) (That puppy looks cute.)
- 그 영화는 ___________________. (boring) (That movie looks boring.)
- 오늘 날씨가 ___________________. (nice) (The weather looks nice today.)
- 새 직장 동료가 ___________________. (smart) (The new colleague looks smart.)
- 그녀는 ___________________. (sad) (She looks sad.)
6. Answers
- 피곤해 보여요
- 맛있어 보여요
- 친절해 보이세요
- 편해 보여요
- 어려워 보여요
- 귀여워 보여요
- 지루해 보여요
- 좋아 보여요
- 똑똑해 보여요
- 슬퍼 보여요
7. Common Mistakes and Tips
⚠️ Mistake 1: Using ‘-아/어 보이다’ with verbs
Incorrect: 공부해 보이다. ❌ (To seem like studying)
Correct: 열심히 공부하는 것처럼 보이다. ✅ (It looks like they’re studying hard.)
💡 Tip: This pattern is only used with adjectives. For actions, use ‘는 것처럼 보이다’ instead.
⚠️ Mistake 2: Using the wrong connector
Incorrect: 이 음식 맛있는 보이다. ❌
Correct: 이 음식 맛있어 보이다. ✅
💡 Tip: Make sure to apply the correct vowel connector (-아 or -어) based on the adjective stem.
⚠️ Mistake 3: Misinterpreting tense
Incorrect: 어제 피곤해 보였어요요. ❌
Correct: 어제 피곤해 보였어요. ✅
💡 Tip: Tense is expressed in the verb 보이다, not the adjective stem. Adjust 보이다 to past or future tense when needed.
The grammar pattern ‘-아/어 보이다’ is extremely useful when describing impressions or assumptions based on appearance. Whether you’re commenting on someone’s mood, giving a compliment, or gently sharing an observation, this structure will help you sound more natural and fluent in Korean. Keep practicing it in daily conversations to become more confident.