Academic Hypothesis: -ㄴ/은/는 것으로 보인다 (It Appears That)

Let us break this long train down. First, we have the -ㄴ/은/는 part. This turns your verb or adjective into a modifier. It is like a hook. It connects the action to the next word. Next is 것. This means "thing" or "fact." It turns the action into a noun. Then we have -으로. This particle means "as" or "by." Finally, we have 보이다. This means "to be seen" or "to appear." When you put them all together, you get a phrase. It literally means "It is seen as the fact that..." That sounds a bit stiff in English. But in Korean, it is very smooth. It shows you have looked at the situation. You are drawing a logical conclusion from it. You are not just guessing in the dark. You are a scientist of social observation. This grammar is your laboratory coat.

1. 1For present tense verbs, add -는 것으로 보인다. Take 가다 (to go). It becomes 가는 것으로 보인다 (It appears to be going).
2. 2For past tense verbs, add -ㄴ/은 것으로 보인다. Take 먹다 (to eat). It becomes 먹은 것으로 보인다 (It appears to have eaten).
3. 3For adjectives, add -ㄴ/은 것으로 보인다. Take 크다 (to be big). It becomes 큰 것으로 보인다 (It appears to be big).
4. 4For nouns, just add -인 것으로 보인다. Take 학생 (student). It becomes 학생인 것으로 보인다 (It appears to be a student).
5. 5If the verb has a ㄹ bottom consonant, drop it. 만들다 becomes 만드는 것으로 보인다. Yes, ㄹ is a bit of a shy consonant. It likes to run away sometimes. Just let it go and move on.
6. 6For adjectives ending in ㅂ, change ㅂ to 우. 춥다 becomes 추운 것으로 보인다. Think of it like a grammar transformer.

Use this when you want to sound objective. It is perfect for writing an essay. It works great for a news script. Use it when you present data at work. You can use it when talking about someone else. "The CEO appears to be happy." It is great for describing weather or trends. "Prices appear to be rising." It is the best choice for a professional report. Use it when you have evidence to show. If you see an empty plate, use this. "The cat appears to have eaten." If you see dark clouds, use this. "It appears that it will rain soon." It makes your Korean sound very advanced. Your teachers will be very impressed with you. It is like a grammar high-five.

Do not use this with your best friends. It sounds way too formal for a cafe. If you say this while eating pizza, it is weird. "This pizza appears to be tasty." Your friend might think you are a robot. Avoid using it for your own feelings. Do not say "I appear to be hungry." You know if you are hungry! You do not need evidence for that. Just say "I am hungry" instead. It is not for casual, daily chit-chat. It is not for yelling at a football game. Keep it in your "professional" toolbox. Using it at home is like wearing a suit to bed. It is just not the right vibe. Keep it for the serious moments in life.

Many people forget the 것. They might say -는으로 보인다. That is a big no-no! The 것 is the bridge for the sentence. Without it, the bridge collapses. Another mistake is mixing up the tenses. Do not use past tense for a current feeling. Some people use it for their own internal thoughts. "I appear to like this movie." Again, that sounds very strange in Korean. You are the boss of your own heart. You do not need to observe your heart like a lab rat. Also, be careful with the particle -으로. Do not use -을 or -이 there. It must be -으로 to show the "as" meaning. It is like a puzzle piece. Only one shape fits perfectly.

How is this different from -는 것 같다? That is a great question! -는 것 같다 is like the casual cousin. It is for your personal, subjective opinion. It is softer and more common in daily life. -ㄴ/은/는 것으로 보인다 is much stronger. It is formal and evidence-based. If -는 것 같다 is a whisper, this is a speech. There is also -나 보다. That one is more like a guess. It is based on something you just saw. It is still more casual than our grammar today. Think of it this way: -나 보다 is for a quick look. -는 것 같다 is for a personal feeling. -ㄴ/은/는 것으로 보인다 is for a formal report. Choose your weapon wisely!