Alive Korean: Listening Korean for Beginners PDF

L2G02. -(으)ㄴ/는 모양이다 grammar = it seems, I guess that...~guess a situation after observation

Usage:
- 모양 = "shape" or "appearance"
- Used to infer or guess a situation after observation (what did you see/hear?)
- Often used with ~(으)ㄴ/는 걸 보니까 earlier in the sentence and gives the reason for the inference or guess
- Not used for talking about yourself (you can't infer/guess about yourself)
- Not for subjective thoughts (use ~(으)ㄹ 것 같다 instead)

Tense:

Adjectives:
- 과거: ~았/었던 모양이다
- 현재: ~(으)ㄴ 모양이다
- 미래: ~(으)ㄹ 모양이다

Verbs:
- 과거: ~(으)ㄴ 모양이다
- 현재: ~는 모양이다
- 미래: ~(으)ㄹ 모양이다

Nouns:
- 과거: 였던/이였던 모양이다
- 현재: 인 모양이다

Examples:

1. 밍 씨가 오늘 학교에 안 왔네요.
- 어제 몸이 안 좋다고 했는데 많이 아픈 모양이에요.

Minh didn’t come to school today.
- Yesterday she said that she didn’t feel well. It seems she gets sick badly.

2. 저기 안나 씨가 가네요!
- 등산복을 입은 걸 보니까 산에 가는 모양이에요.

It’s Anna over there.
- Seeing she is wearing the hiking clothes, it seems she’s heading to the mountain.

3. 나미 씨가 회사를 바꿨다면서요?
- 네, 회사 일이 정말 힘들었던 모양이에요.

I heard that Nami change the company?
- Yes, it seems that the work was really difficult for her.

4. 밍 씨가 아직 안 왔어요?
- 눈이 많이 오는 걸 보니까 길이 막힌 모양이에요.

Has Minh not come yet?
- Seeing it's heavily snowing, it seems the traffic is stuck.

5. 안나 씨가 방학에 뭐 하는지 아세요?
- 비행기 예매한 걸 보니까 고향에 갈 모양이에요.

Do you know what Anna is doing during vacation?
- Seeing she reserved for airplane ticket, it seems she is going to her hometown.

6. 나미 씨가 회의 시간 내내 시계를 보네요.
- 회사 시간 내내 시계를 보는 걸 보니까 약속이 있는 모양이에요.

Nami see her watch throughout the meeting time.
- Judging she sees her watch throughout the meeting time, I guess she has an appointment.

7. 밍 씨가 다음 주에 만나자고 해요.
- 다음 주에 만나자고 하는 걸 보니까 이번 주에 일이 많은 모양이에요.

Minh said let's meet in next week.
- Judging he said that let's meet in the next week, it seems he has a lot of work this week.

8. 나미 씨가 김밥을 자주 먹는 걸 보니 김밥을 좋아하는 모양이에요.

Seeing Nami often eats Kimpap, it seems she likes it.

9. 그 식당이 사람이 많네요.
- 사람이 많은 걸 보니 맛집인 모양이에요.

That restaurant has many guests.
- Seeing many guests, I guess that it is a good restaurant.

10. 똑똑한 걸 보니까 강사 이였던 모양이에요.
- Seeing he’s smart, I guessed he is a professor.