It looks like it's going to rain (Guessing — looks like)

This pattern is used to express a guess or supposition about a future event or a current state based on some evidence or feeling. It's equivalent to "I think...", "It seems like...", or "It looks like...".

Meaning & Usage

Meaning: It expresses the speaker's conjecture or assumption. The basis for the guess can be objective evidence (like dark clouds) or a subjective feeling. It sounds softer and less certain than a direct statement.

When to use: Use it when you're not 100% sure about something. It's very common in daily conversation for talking about weather, people's feelings, future plans, or the state of things. For example, if you see your friend yawning, you can say 피곤할 것 같아요 (You seem tired).

Conjugation Rules

Rule: The form depends on whether the verb or adjective stem ends in a vowel or a consonant.

Adjective/Verb stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ: Add -ㄹ 것 같다.

가다 (to go) → 갈 것 같다

예쁘다 (to be pretty) → 예쁠 것 같다

만들다 (to make) → 만들 것 같다 (ㄹ is not dropped)

Adjective/Verb stem ends in a consonant: Add -을 것 같다.

먹다 (to eat) → 먹을 것 같다

작다 (to be small) → 작을 것 같다

Vowel/ㄹ: ~ㄹ 것 같다 / Consonant: ~을 것 같다

Both -(으)ㄹ 것 같다 and ~겠- are used for guessing, but they have different nuances. Understanding this difference will make your Korean sound more natural.

-(으)ㄹ 것 같다: General, Objective Guess

Context: This is the most common way to express a guess. It's often based on some external, objective evidence you can see or sense. It feels like a general observation or possibility. It's a slightly softer and more indirect guess than ~겠-.

Example: (하늘을 보며) 비가 올 것 같아요. (Looking at the sky, it seems like it will rain.) This is based on seeing dark clouds.

~겠-: Stronger, Subjective Guess

Context: This implies a stronger conviction or a more immediate, intuitive guess from the speaker. It can feel more personal and certain than -(으)ㄹ 것 같다. It's often used for immediate reactions to a situation.