Seems like: -나 보다

Think of this as the "Observation Pattern." You see something first. Then you speak. It works like a simple bridge. One side is what you see. The other side is your guess. You use the verb stem. Then you add the ending. It changes slightly for verbs and adjectives. But the core meaning stays the same. You are inferring a state or action. It is mostly used for other people. You rarely use it for yourself. Why? Because you already know your own feelings! You don't need to guess about yourself.

1. 1For present tense verbs, take the stem. Add -나 보다.
2. 2For example, 가다 (to go) becomes 가나 봐요.
3. 3For adjectives, use the stem. Add -(으)ㄴ가 보다.
4. 4작다 (to be small) becomes 작은가 봐요.
5. 5For nouns, add -(이)ㄴ가 보다.
6. 6학생 (student) becomes 학생인가 봐요.
7. 7For past tense, use the past stem. Then add -나 보다.
8. 8먹었다 (ate) becomes 먹었나 봐요 (it seems they ate).
9. 9This works for both verbs and adjectives in the past.
10. 10Don't worry, even native speakers simplify this sometimes.

Use this when you have evidence. You see your boss wearing a suit. You say, "You must have a meeting." 회의가 있나 봐요. You hear loud music next door. You say, "They must be having a party." 파티를 하나 봐요. It is perfect for small talk. Use it when ordering food too. If the person next to you is sweating. You can say, "That must be spicy." 매운가 봐요. It shows you are paying attention. It is great for job interviews too. You might notice the office is quiet. You could say, "Everyone is working hard." 열심히 일하나 봐요.

Never use this for your own feelings. Don't say "I seem to be hungry." That sounds very strange! You already know if you are hungry. Use -고 싶다 or -은 것 같다 instead. Also, avoid it for absolute facts. If the sun is shining, don't say 해가 나나 봐요. Just say the sun is shining! It is for things you aren't 100% sure about. It is a guess, not a statement of truth. Don't use it for the future yet. There is another pattern for that. Stick to what is happening now. Or what happened in the past.

Many people forget the adjective rule. They say 바쁘나 봐요 instead of 바쁜가 봐요. It is a small mistake. But -(으)ㄴ가 보다 is much more natural for adjectives. Another mistake is using it for personal intent. Don't use it to say what you will do. It's like a grammar traffic light. It only turns green for observations. Don't use it if you have no evidence. If you just have a random thought, use -것 같다. -나 보다 needs a "clue" to work. Don't be a detective without a magnifying glass!

You might know -것 같다. It also means "It seems like." But -것 같다 is much broader. You can use it for your own opinions. You can use it without evidence. -나 보다 is more specific. It strongly implies you saw something. There is also -는 모양이다. That is very similar to -나 보다. But -는 모양이다 is a bit more formal. It is like saying "It appears that." -나 봐요 is much more common in daily life. It is friendly and conversational. Use it with friends and colleagues.