Looks [Adjective]

This pattern, -아/어 보여, is used to express an impression, assumption, or observation based on someone's or something's appearance. It's the direct equivalent of saying "You look..." or "It looks..." in English.

Formation

Attach -아/어 to an adjective stem, followed by 보여(요).

Stems ending in ㅏ or ㅗ: Add -아 보여(요).

비싸다 (to be expensive) → 비싸 + 아 보여 → 비싸 보여

좋다 (to be good) → 좋 + 아 보여 → 좋아 보여

Stems ending in other vowels: Add -어 보여(요).

맛있다 (to be delicious) → 맛있 + 어 보여 → 맛있어 보여

어렵다 (ㅂ irregular) → 어려우 + 어 보여 → 어려워 보여

하다 adjectives: Change 하다 to 해 보여(요).

피곤하다 (to be tired) → 피곤해 보여

행복하다 (to be happy) → 행복해 보여

오늘 피곤해 보여. / 엄청 맛있어 보여. / 비싸 보여요.

Both patterns express a guess or assumption, but they rely on different kinds of evidence.

-아/어 보이다 (Visual Evidence)

This pattern is used only for judgments based on what you can see. It's about visual appearance.

(Seeing a dish) 매워 보여요. (It looks spicy.)

(Seeing a friend with their head down) 슬퍼 보여요. (You look sad.)

-는 것 같다 (General Evidence)

This is a broader pattern for guessing. The evidence can be anything—something you heard, smelled, felt, or just a general intuition. It's not limited to sight.

(Smelling spicy food from the kitchen) 매운 것 같아요. (It seems spicy.)

(Hearing a friend's shaky voice on the phone) 슬픈 것 같아요. (It seems you're sad.)

Key takeaway: If your reason for guessing is purely visual, -아/어 보이다 is more specific and natural.

매워 보여요. / 건강해 보여. / 저 옷은 좀 비싼 것 같아요.