The grammar pattern ‘-(으)ㄴ 것처럼 / -는 것처럼 / -(으)ㄹ 것처럼’ in Korean is widely used in daily conversations. This structure helps learners describe situations by showing similarities and pretending. Mastering ‘-(으)ㄴ 것처럼 / -는 것처럼 / -(으)ㄹ 것처럼’ will allow you to sound more natural and expressive in both casual and formal Korean.
Contents
1. Definition
-(으)ㄴ 것처럼, -는 것처럼, and -(으)ㄹ 것처럼 mean “as if,” “just like,” or “as though” in English.
- -(으)ㄴ 것처럼: used for past actions or for adjectives to describe a state (as if it happened / as if it is in a certain condition).
- -는 것처럼: used for present or habitual actions (as if doing / as if usually does).
- -(으)ㄹ 것처럼: used for future or hypothetical actions (as if going to do / as if will do).
All three forms show that one situation, state, or action is expressed in similarity to or appears the same as another.
2. Form (Structure)
Conjugation Rules
1. -(으)ㄴ 것처럼 → Past / Completed action
Used when the action/state has already happened or when describing an adjective state.
- Consonant-ending verbs: stem + -은 것처럼
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹은 것처럼 (as if he had eaten)
- 읽다 (to read) → 읽은 것처럼 (as if he had read)
- 잡다 (to catch) → 잡은 것처럼 (as if he had caught)
- Vowel-ending verbs: stem + -ㄴ 것처럼
- 가다 (to go) → 간 것처럼 (as if he had gone)
- 보다 (to see) → 본 것처럼 (as if he had seen)
- 사다 (to buy) → 산 것처럼 (as if he had bought)
- ㄹ-ending verbs: drop ㄹ + -ㄴ 것처럼
- 살다 (to live) → 산 것처럼 (as if he had lived)
- 알다 (to know) → 안 것처럼 (as if he had known)
- 만들다 (to make) → 만든 것처럼 (as if he had made)
- Adjectives: use -(으)ㄴ 것처럼
- 예쁘다 (to be pretty) → 예쁜 것처럼 (as if pretty)
- 크다 (to be big) → 큰 것처럼 (as if big)
- Nouns: N + 인 것처럼
- 학생 (student) → 학생인 것처럼 (as if a student)
- 선생님 (teacher) → 선생님인 것처럼 (as if a teacher)
- 친구 (friend) → 친구인 것처럼 (as if a friend)
2. -는 것처럼 → Present / Habitual action
Used when the action/state is ongoing or generally true. (Note: adjectives rarely use this form)
- Consonant-ending verbs: stem + -는 것처럼
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹는 것처럼 (as if eating)
- 읽다 (to read) → 읽는 것처럼 (as if reading)
- 앉다 (to sit) → 앉는 것처럼 (as if sitting)
- Vowel-ending verbs: stem + -는 것처럼
- 가다 (to go) → 가는 것처럼 (as if going)
- 보다 (to see) → 보는 것처럼 (as if seeing)
- 사다 (to buy) → 사는 것처럼 (as if buying)
- ㄹ-ending verbs: drop ㄹ + -는 것처럼
- 살다 (to live) → 사는 것처럼 (as if living)
- 알다 (to know) → 아는 것처럼 (as if knowing)
- 만들다 (to make) → 만드는 것처럼 (as if making)
- Nouns: N + 인 것처럼
- 학생 (student) → 학생인 것처럼 (as if a student)
- 친구 (friend) → 친구인 것처럼 (as if a friend)
3. -(으)ㄹ 것처럼 → Future / Hypothetical action
Used when the action/state is imagined, hypothetical, or expected in the future.
- Consonant-ending verbs: stem + -을 것처럼
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹을 것처럼 (as if he will eat)
- 읽다 (to read) → 읽을 것처럼 (as if he will read)
- 잡다 (to catch) → 잡을 것처럼 (as if he will catch)
- Vowel-ending verbs: stem + -ㄹ 것처럼
- 가다 (to go) → 갈 것처럼 (as if he will go)
- 보다 (to see) → 볼 것처럼 (as if he will see)
- 사다 (to buy) → 살 것처럼 (as if he will buy)
- ㄹ-ending verbs: drop ㄹ + -ㄹ 것처럼
- 살다 (to live) → 살 것처럼 (as if he will live)
- 알다 (to know) → 알 것처럼 (as if he will know)
- 만들다 (to make) → 만들 것처럼 (as if he will make)
- Nouns: N + 일 것처럼
- 학생 (student) → 학생일 것처럼 (as if he will be a student)
- 선생님 (teacher) → 선생님일 것처럼 (as if he will be a teacher)
Conjugation Summary Table for -(으)ㄴ 것처럼 / -는 것처럼 / -(으)ㄹ 것처럼
| Stem Type | Past -(으)ㄴ 것처럼 | Present -는 것처럼 | Future -(으)ㄹ 것처럼 |
| Consonant-ending verb | 먹다 (to eat) → 먹은 것처럼 (as if he had eaten) | 먹다 → 먹는 것처럼 (as if eating) | 먹다 → 먹을 것처럼 (as if he will eat) |
| Vowel-ending verb | 가다 (to go) → 간 것처럼 (as if he had gone) | 가다 → 가는 것처럼 (as if going) | 가다 → 갈 것처럼 (as if he will go) |
| ㄹ-ending verb | 살다 (to live) → 산 것처럼 (as if he had lived) | 살다 → 사는 것처럼 (as if living) | 살다 → 살 것처럼 (as if he will live) |
| Noun | 학생 (student) → 학생인 것처럼 (as if a student) | 학생 → 학생인 것처럼 (as if a student) | 학생 → 학생일 것처럼 (as if he will be a student) |
3. Meaning & Usage
1. Expressing Similarity / “As if …”
This grammar is used to describe a situation, action, or state that looks or feels similar to something else. It often shows appearance or impression, which may be different from reality.
- 그는 시험에 합격한 것처럼 기뻐했어요.
(He was happy as if he had passed the exam.) - 아이가 새 장난감을 받은 것처럼 웃고 있어요.
(The child is laughing as if he received a new toy.) - 그녀는 유명인인 것처럼 행동했어요.
(She acted as if she were a celebrity.) - 나무가 불타는 것처럼 연기가 나요.
(The tree is smoking as if it were on fire.) - 그는 아픈 것처럼 보였어요.
(He looked as if he was sick — but not confirmed in reality.)
2. Pretending / Acting “As if …”
Used when someone behaves in a way that pretends or mimics a certain state, even if it isn’t true. This usually implies not real, just pretending.
- 그는 아는 것처럼 말했지만 사실 몰랐어요.
(He spoke as if he knew, but he actually didn’t.) - 고양이가 무서운 것처럼 등 뒤로 도망갔어요.
(The cat ran away as if it were scared.) - 아이가 피곤한 것처럼 꾸벅꾸벅 졸았어요.
(The child nodded off as if he were tired.) - 그녀는 아무 일 없는 것처럼 웃었어요.
(She laughed as if nothing happened.) - 나는 모르는 것처럼 지나갔어요.
(I passed by as if I didn’t know — but I actually did.)
3. Hypothetical / Imagined Situation / Figurative “As though …”
Used to imagine or assume a situation, often about the future or something that hasn’t happened. It is also used figuratively to exaggerate or dramatize a comparison.
- 비가 올 것처럼 하늘이 어두워요.
(The sky is dark as though it will rain.) - 그는 시험에 떨어질 것처럼 걱정했어요.
(He worried as though he would fail the exam.) - 친구가 놀러 올 것처럼 집을 깨끗이 청소했어요.
(I cleaned the house as though a friend would come over.) - 아이가 울 것처럼 떼를 썼어요.
(The child threw a tantrum as though he were going to cry.) - 세상이 끝난 것처럼 울었어요.
(She cried as if the world had ended — figurative exaggeration.)
4. Key Points to Remember
- -(으)ㄴ 것처럼 → past actions or adjective states (as if it had happened / as if in that state)
- -는 것처럼 → present or habitual actions (as if currently doing / as if usually does)
- -(으)ㄹ 것처럼 → future or hypothetical actions (as if going to do / imagined situation)
- With nouns: use -인 것처럼 for present/past and -일 것처럼 for future situations.
- For ㄹ-ending verbs, remember to drop ㄹ before adding -ㄴ 것처럼 or -는 것처럼.
- This grammar often expresses appearance, pretending, or hypothetical comparison, depending on context.
5. Practice Exercises
- 그는 아무것도 (모르다) ___ 고개를 숙였다.
(He bowed his head as if he didn’t know anything.) - 아기가 깊이 (자다) ___ 방 안이 조용했다.
(The room was quiet as if the baby were sleeping deeply.) - 나는 (피곤하다) ___ 의자에 쓰러졌다.
(I collapsed on the chair as if I were tired.) - 그는 곧 (울다) ___ 얼굴을 찡그렸다.
(He frowned as if he were about to cry.) - 하늘이 (무너지다) ___ 어두워졌다.
(The sky grew dark as if it were falling down.) - 그녀는 무슨 일이 (없다) ___ 활짝 웃었다.
(She smiled brightly as if nothing had happened.) - 친구가 (오다) ___ 집을 깨끗이 청소했다.
(I cleaned the house as if a friend were coming.) - 학생들이 다 (알다) ___ 발표했다.
(The students presented as if they knew everything.) - 그는 (선생님) ___ 조용히 교실을 지켜봤다.
(He observed the classroom quietly as if he were the teacher.) - 사람들이 (세상이 끝나다) ___ 울부짖었다.
(People cried out as if the world had ended.)
6. Answers
- 모르는 것처럼
- 자는 것처럼
- 피곤한 것처럼
- 울 것처럼
- 무너진 것처럼
- 없었던 것처럼
- 올 것처럼
- 아는 것처럼
- 선생님인 것처럼
- 끝난 것처럼
7. Common Mistakes and Tips
⚠️ Mistake 1: Using the wrong tense
Incorrect: 그는 이미 가는 것처럼 보였다. ❌
(He looked as if he is going / present tense misuse)
Correct: 그는 이미 간 것처럼 보였다. ✅
(He looked as if he had gone.)
💡 Tip: Use -(으)ㄴ 것처럼 / -는 것처럼 / -(으)ㄹ 것처럼 according to the time frame (past/present/future). Do not mix past context with -는 것처럼
⚠️ Mistake 2: Forgetting the ㄹ-drop rule
Incorrect: 그는 살는 것처럼 말했다. ❌
(He spoke as if he live… unnatural form)
Correct: 그는 사는 것처럼 말했다. ✅
(He spoke as if he were living.)
💡 Tip: For verbs ending in ㄹ, drop ㄹ before adding endings (사는 것처럼, 산 것처럼, 살 것처럼).
⚠️ Mistake 3: Missing 인 with nouns
Incorrect: 그는 학생것처럼 행동했다. ❌
(He acted as if student — missing copula form)
Correct: 그는 학생인 것처럼 행동했다. ✅
(He acted as if he were a student.)
💡 Tip: With nouns, always attach -인 것처럼 (for present/past) or -일 것처럼 (for future).
The grammar -(으)ㄴ 것처럼 / -는 것처럼 / -(으)ㄹ 것처럼 is a versatile pattern that expresses similarity, pretending, or hypothetical situations. By remembering the correct tense usage, noun forms with -인/-일, and avoiding common mistakes, learners can use it naturally to describe actions, states, and appearances as if they were real.