-(으)ㄹ 듯하다 Grammar in Korean: Meaning and How to Use It

What you'll learn

• Attach -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 and -(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다 to verbs, adjectives and nouns.
• Make a careful guess in a formal or written style.
• Choose between the future, present and past forms.
• Choose between -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 and -(으)ㄹ 것 같다.

Before you start: you should know how to make the modifier forms of a verb (오는, 온, 올) and an adjective (피곤한), and how to read the formal ending -ㅂ니다/습니다. It also helps to have met -(으)ㄹ 것 같다, the everyday guess. Audio plays only when you press a button.

What Does -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 Grammar Mean?

-(으)ㄹ 듯하다 grammar means "it seems that" and "it looks as if." It names a careful guess, based on what the speaker knows or can see. The word 듯 is a dependent noun for "likeness; as if," and 하다 ("to be") makes it an adjective: 올 듯하다 is, roughly, "it is like coming."

Here are the first two examples. They show a future guess and a present observation.

• 내일은 비가 올 듯하다. (naeireun biga ol deutada.) [내이른 비가 올뜨타다] = "It looks like it will rain tomorrow."
• 그는 피곤한 듯하다. (geuneun pigonhan deutada.) [그는 피곤한 드타다] = "He seems tired."

Look at the pieces. 올 is the future modifier of 오다, and 피곤한 is the present modifier of the adjective 피곤하다. 듯하다 follows the modifier, and the ending -다 gives the plain written style. The two sentences use different modifiers because the time is different: -(으)ㄹ looks ahead, and -(으)ㄴ describes how things stand now. The sound is worth noticing too. 듯하다 is spoken [드타다], because the ㅅ of 듯 sounds like ㄷ and then combines with the ㅎ of 하다 into ㅌ. After -(으)ㄹ, the ㄷ is tensed, so 올 듯하다 is [올뜨타다]. First, the formation.

How Do You Form -(으)ㄹ 듯하다?

-(으)ㄹ 듯하다 is formed by adding a modifier ending to the stem, then 듯하다. Which modifier you need depends on the time and the word class. After a vowel the future modifier is -ㄹ, and after a consonant it is -을.

The table shows one idea applied to three word types. Write 듯하다 as a separate word from the modifier: 올 듯하다. Some writers join them, but the spaced form is the safe standard. The next three parts look at the groups of stems one at a time.

Stems Ending in a Vowel

A vowel stem adds -ㄹ for the future, -는 for the present of a verb and -ㄴ for the present of an adjective or the past of a verb. 오다 becomes 올 or 오는 or 온, 길어지다 becomes 길어질, 떠나다 becomes 떠난, and 피곤하다 becomes 피곤한.

• 회의는 길어질 듯합니다. (hoeuineun gireojil deutamnida.) [회의는 기러질뜨탐니다] = "The meeting seems likely to run long."
• 그가 이미 떠난 듯하다. (geuga imi tteonan deutada.) [그가 이미 떠난 드타다] = "He seems to have already left."
• 아이는 지금 자는 듯해요. (aineun jigeum janeun deutaeyo.) [아이는 지금 자는 드태요] = "The child seems to be asleep now."

Vowel stems are the simplest case, because the modifier ending is just ㄹ, ㄴ or 는. Notice also the sound in 길어질 듯합니다: the formal ending 듯합니다 is spoken [드탐니다], and after -ㄹ it is tensed, so the whole phrase sounds like [기러질뜨탐니다]. A stem with a final consonant needs a bit more.

Stems Ending in a Consonant

A consonant stem adds -을 for the future, -는 for the present of a verb and -은 for the present of an adjective. 늦다 becomes 늦을, 맑다 becomes 맑을, and 좋다 becomes 좋은.

• 지금 가도 늦을 듯해요. (jigeum gado neujeul deutaeyo.) [지금 가도 느즐뜨태요] = "Even if we go now, we will probably be late."
• 주말에는 날씨가 맑을 듯합니다. (jumareneun nalssiga malgeul deutamnida.) [주마레는 날씨가 말글뜨탐니다] = "The weather will probably be clear on the weekend."
• 시험 결과가 좋은 듯합니다. (siheom gyeolgwaga joeun deutamnida.) [시험 결과가 조은 드탐니다] = "The exam results seem good."

The third sentence uses the present modifier -은 with the adjective 좋다, so the guess is about now and not about the future. Two more groups need a short note, because learners expect trouble with them.

Irregular Stems and Nouns

Irregular stems change the same way they change before any modifier ending.

• ㅂ-irregular: 춥다 becomes 추울 (future) and 추운 (present), and 어렵다 becomes 어려울 and 어려운.
• ㄷ-irregular: 듣다 becomes 들을 and 듣는 or 들은.
• ㄹ-stems drop the ㄹ before -ㄴ and -는: 살다 becomes 사는 and 산, but the future -(으)ㄹ keeps one ㄹ: 살 듯하다.
• Past adjectives use -았/었던: 아프다 becomes 아팠던, so 어제 많이 아팠던 듯하다 (eoje mani apatdeon deutada) [어제 마니 아팓떤 드타다], "He seems to have been quite sick yesterday."
• Nouns use 이다: 한국 사람인 듯해요 (hanguk saramin deutaeyo) [한국 사라민 드태요] means "He seems to be Korean," and a probable guess uses 일: 한국 사람일 듯해요, "He is probably Korean."

Honorific verbs take -(으)시- before the modifier: 부모님이 곧 도착하실 듯해요 (bumonimi got dochakasil deutaeyo) [부모니미 곧 도차카실뜨태요], "My parents will probably arrive soon."

With the formation clear, one full sentence can be built step by step.

Worked Example: Building a Sentence with -(으)ㄹ 듯하다

-(으)ㄹ 듯하다 grammar turns a plain statement into a careful guess. Follow the steps with the statement "The weather is clear on the weekend."

1. Start with the plain sentence. 주말에는 날씨가 맑아요. (jumareneun nalssiga malgayo.) = "The weather is clear on the weekend." The predicate is the adjective 맑아요.
2. Find the dictionary form and stem. 맑아요 comes from 맑다. The stem is 맑.
3. Choose the modifier. The guess is about the weekend, which is in the future, and the stem ends in a consonant, so add -을: 맑을.
4. Add 듯하다. 맑을 + 듯하다 = 맑을 듯하다.
5. Choose the style. For a formal speech or a report, end with 합니다: 주말에는 날씨가 맑을 듯합니다. (jumareneun nalssiga malgeul deutamnida.) [주마레는 날씨가 말글뜨탐니다] = "The weather will probably be clear on the weekend."

You will know it worked when the subject and time word stayed in place and the modifier changed to -을. The most common slip at step 3 is using the present modifier for a future guess: 맑은 듯합니다 says that the weather is clear now. Each sentence can also appear in several tenses and sentence types, and each has limits.

Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -(으)ㄹ 듯하다?

-(으)ㄹ 듯하다 works in the future, present and past, in the negative, in questions and in the polite, formal and plain written styles. The modifier fixes the time, and 하다 carries the style. The table shows the forms for 오다.

The plain style 듯하다 and the past 듯했다 are the forms you will see most often in writing. A story may say 그는 피곤한 듯했다 (geuneun pigonhan deutaetda) [그는 피곤한 드태따] for "He seemed tired," and a column may say 내일은 비가 올 듯하다.

• 그는 피곤한 듯했다. = "He seemed tired."
• 올해는 겨울이 일찍 올 듯싶다. (olhaeneun gyeouri iljjik ol deutsipda.) [올해는 겨우리 일찍 올뜯씹따] = "Winter seems likely to come early this year."

The variant 듯싶다 means the same as 듯하다. It is spoken [듣씹따] and is a little less common in speech. The most useful contrast for a learner is with the pattern that looks closest.

How Is -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 Different from -(으)ㄹ 것 같다?

-(으)ㄹ 듯하다 and -(으)ㄹ 것 같다 both make a guess, and in most sentences they mean the same. The difference is the register: 듯하다 sounds formal and written, and 것 같다 sounds everyday and conversational.

Both sentences are correct, and a Korean listener would accept either one in a neutral setting. If you give a presentation to colleagues, 올 듯합니다 sounds careful and professional, and 올 것 같습니다 sounds a little more casual. If you chat with a friend, say 올 것 같아.

A second neighbour is -(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다, which guesses about the present or past in everyday speech, and a third is -(으)ㄴ/는 모양이다, which draws a conclusion from a visible sign. The firm future forms are separate again: future guess -겠- and future tense -(으)ㄹ 거예요 state a prediction or a plan with more confidence than 듯하다. These contrasts lead to the variations of the pattern itself.

Variations and Edge Cases of -(으)ㄹ 듯하다

-(으)ㄹ 듯하다 has four common variations: the variant 듯싶다, the form 듯하다가, the stressed 듯이 and the polite 듯해요. Each one is short, and each appears in real reading.

• 듯싶다. Same meaning, a little more bookish: 올 듯싶다 means "it seems it will come."
• 듯하다가. The form -ㄴ/는 듯하다가 means "seemed to... but then": 비가 오는 듯하다가 그쳤어요 (biga oneun deutadaga geuchyeosseoyo) [비가 오는 드타다가 그처써요], "It seemed to be raining, but it stopped."
• A different pattern: 듯이. -(으)ㄴ/는 듯이 means "as if": 그는 아무것도 모르는 듯이 웃었어요 (geuneun amugeotdo moreuneun deusi useosseoyo) [그는 아무걷또 모르는 드시 우서써요], "He smiled as if he knew nothing." It looks similar but is a separate pattern for comparison, not guessing.
• Polite speech. 듯해요 is polite and less stiff than 듯합니다: 지금 가도 늦을 듯해요. Use 듯합니다 in a presentation.

This lesson covers the common forms used in daily life and in reading. It does not cover the older set phrases with 듯 such as 물 흐르듯 ("like flowing water"), which have their own uses. The mistakes below show where the boundaries cause real errors.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -(으)ㄹ 듯하다?

Learners most often get the modifier, the register or the spelling wrong. Four mistakes appear again and again.

1. Choosing the modifier without thinking about meaning. This is a meaning contrast, not a grammar error. 그는 피곤할 듯하다 means "He will probably be tired" or "He is probably tired (I assume)," a guess made without seeing him. To say that he looks tired now, use the present modifier: 피곤한 듯하다.
2. Spelling 듯 with ㄷ. 듯 ends in ㅅ, so 듣하다 is wrong. The word is spelled 듯하다 and spoken [드타다].
3. Forgetting 이다 with a noun. 한국 사람 듯해요 is wrong. Say 한국 사람인 듯해요.
4. Using it in casual talk. Not an error, but 올 듯하다 to a close friend sounds stiff. Say 올 것 같아.

A quick check for any guess: Is the time right (future -(으)ㄹ, present -는 or -(으)ㄴ, past -(으)ㄴ or -았/었던)? Is the setting formal or written? Is the noun followed by 이다? If all three answers are yes, the sentence is sound.

The practice set below tests these points directly.

Practice and Answers

Try the four items before you read the answer key. Cover the answers with your hand.

1. Translate. "It looks like it will rain tomorrow." Use 오다 and a formal ending.
2. Choose the modifier. "He seems tired (now)." (그는 피곤한 듯하다 / 그는 피곤하는 듯하다)
3. Form the pattern. Say "The meeting seems likely to run long" with 길어지다.
4. Write your own. Say what the weather will probably be on the weekend, using 듯합니다.

Answer key

1. 내일은 비가 올 듯합니다. The future modifier of 오다 is 올.
2. 그는 피곤한 듯하다. Adjectives take -(으)ㄴ.
3. 회의는 길어질 듯합니다. 길어지다 ends in a vowel, so add -ㄹ.
4. 주말에는 날씨가 맑을 듯합니다. (jumareneun nalssiga malgeul deutamnida.) = "The weather will probably be clear on the weekend." Answers vary. Check that the modifier matches the time.

If you can complete items 1 to 3 without the key, you can use the pattern in reading and in formal speech. Next, the lesson hands off to related patterns.

What Should You Learn Next after -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 Grammar?

After -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 grammar, learn the everyday guess, then the pattern for conclusions drawn from signs. This lesson teaches the formal, written guess, and it does not cover the firm future forms in depth. Those live on their own pages.

1. Start with -(으)ㄹ 것 같다, the everyday "I think it will."
2. Compare it with -(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다, the everyday "it seems" for the present and the past.
3. Continue with -(으)ㄴ/는 모양이다, the conclusion from a sign.
4. Return to Guessing and Conjecture to see every lesson in this set, or to the Advanced Grammar list for other B2 patterns.

With these steps, -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 becomes automatic: choose the modifier for the time, add 듯하다, and keep the tone formal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 mean?

-(으)ㄹ 듯하다 means "it seems that" or "it looks as if." 내일은 비가 올 듯하다 means "It looks like it will rain tomorrow," and 그는 피곤한 듯하다 means "He seems tired." The speaker makes a careful guess from what they know or can see, in a formal style.

How do I attach -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 to a verb or adjective?

For a guess about the future or something probable, add -ㄹ after a vowel and -을 after a consonant: 오다 becomes 올 듯하다, and 늦다 becomes 늦을 듯하다. For the present, a verb takes -는 (오는 듯하다) and an adjective takes -(으)ㄴ (피곤한 듯하다). For the past, use -(으)ㄴ with verbs (떠난 듯하다) and -았/었던 with adjectives (아팠던 듯하다). A noun takes -인 (한국 사람인 듯하다) or -일 for a probable guess.

Can -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 be used in the past tense?

Yes, in two ways. To guess that something already happened, use a past modifier: 그가 이미 떠난 듯하다 means "He seems to have already left." To say that something seemed true at an earlier time, put 하다 in the past: 그는 피곤한 듯했다 means "He seemed tired." The second form is very common in stories and reports.

Is -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 used in speech or only in writing?

It is used in both, but it is typical of writing, speeches and formal speech: 올 듯합니다 and 올 듯해요 are fine in a meeting or a presentation. Between friends, -(으)ㄹ 것 같아요 sounds more natural, and 올 듯하다 can sound stiff or bookish.

What is the most common mistake with -(으)ㄹ 듯하다?

The most common mistake is the wrong modifier. -(으)ㄹ points to the future or to an assumption you cannot check, so 피곤할 듯하다 means "He is probably tired (I assume)." To say that someone looks tired now, use the present modifier: 피곤한 듯하다. A second mistake is spelling: 듯 ends in ㅅ, so 듣하다 is wrong, and the word is pronounced [드타다].

What is the difference between -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 and -(으)ㄹ 것 같다?

Both are guesses. -(으)ㄹ 것 같다 is the everyday pattern in speech and can also express feelings and opinions. -(으)ㄹ 듯하다 has the same basic meaning but belongs to formal speech and writing: reports, columns and announcements. Choose 듯하다 when you want a careful, written tone.

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