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Comparisons & Degree

같다 - Same/Like

같다 is a versatile adjective meaning "same," "similar," or "like." It's used to express similarity, sameness, and appearances.

Core Meanings

1. Same (Identical)

Exactly the same:

  • 같은 것 (the same thing)
  • 같은 사람 (the same person)
  • 같은 날 (the same day)

2. Like/Similar To

Resemblance:

  • A같다 (like A / similar to A)
  • 친구같아요 (seems like a friend)
  • 꿈같아요 (like a dream)

3. Seems Like/As If

Appearances:

  • 비가 올 것 같아요 (seems like it will rain)
  • 아픈 것 같아요 (seems sick)

Structure Patterns

Pattern 1: Noun + 같다

Like/similar to noun:

  • 친구같다 (like a friend)
  • 꿈같다 (like a dream)
  • 천사같다 (like an angel)
  • 봄같다 (like spring)

Pattern 2: 같은 + Noun

Same/similar noun:

  • 같은 나이 (same age)
  • 같은 학교 (same school)
  • 같은 색 (same color)
  • 같은 시간 (same time)

Pattern 3: -(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다

Seems/appears that...:

  • 좋은 것 같아요 (seems good)
  • 가는 것 같아요 (seems to be going)
  • 먹은 것 같아요 (seems to have eaten)

Same/Identical Usage

같은 (Same/Identical)

Modifying nouns:

  • 같은 책 (the same book)
  • 같은 옷 (the same clothes)
  • 같은 문제 (the same problem)
  • 같은 생각 (the same thought)

Sentence Examples

  • 우리는 같은 학교에 다녀요 (We attend the same school)
  • 같은 날에 태어났어요 (Born on the same day)
  • 같은 색을 골랐어요 (Chose the same color)

Like/Similar Usage

Noun + 같다

Like noun / similar to noun:

  • 친구같아요 (is like a friend)
  • 가족같아요 (is like family)
  • 천사같아요 (is like an angel)
  • 아이같아요 (is like a child)

With Particles

Noun + (이)랑 같다:

  • 나랑 같아요 (same as me)
  • 이것이랑 같아요 (same as this)
  • 어제랑 같아요 (same as yesterday)

Noun + 와/과 같다 (formal):

  • 그것과 같습니다 (same as that)

Seems/Appears Usage

-(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다

Present tense appearance:

Verbs:

  • 가는 것 같아요 (seems to be going)
  • 먹는 것 같아요 (seems to be eating)
  • 자는 것 같아요 (seems to be sleeping)

Adjectives:

  • 좋은 것 같아요 (seems good)
  • 예쁜 것 같아요 (seems pretty)
  • 큰 것 같아요 (seems big)

Past: -(으)ㄴ 것 같다

Seems to have...:

  • 간 것 같아요 (seems to have gone)
  • 먹은 것 같아요 (seems to have eaten)
  • 왔던 것 같아요 (seems to have been here before)

Future: -(으)ㄹ 것 같다

Seems will...:

  • 갈 것 같아요 (seems will go / probably will go)
  • 비가 올 것 같아요 (seems it will rain)
  • 늦을 것 같아요 (seems will be late)

Common Expressions

Compliments

  • 천사같아요 (like an angel)
  • 모델같아요 (like a model)
  • 공주같아요 (like a princess)
  • 왕자같아요 (like a prince)

Descriptions

  • 꿈같아요 (like a dream)
  • 영화같아요 (like a movie)
  • 동화같아요 (like a fairy tale)
  • 기적같아요 (like a miracle)

Feelings

  • 아픈 것 같아요 (I think I'm sick)
  • 피곤한 것 같아요 (I seem tired)
  • 행복한 것 같아요 (seems happy)

Politeness Levels

Formal (합니다체)

  • 같습니다 (is the same/like)
  • 같은 것 같습니다 (seems like)

Polite (해요체)

  • 같아요 (is the same/like)
  • 같은 것 같아요 (seems like)

Casual (반말)

  • 같아 (is the same/like)
  • 같은 것 같아 (seems like)

Question Forms

Is It the Same?

  • 같아요? (Is it the same? / Is it like...?)
  • 같은 거예요? (Is it the same thing?)
  • 저랑 같아요? (Is it the same as me?)

Does It Seem...?

  • 좋은 것 같아요? (Does it seem good?)
  • 갈 것 같아요? (Do you think you'll go?)

Negative Forms

Not the Same

  • 안 같아요 (not the same / not like)
  • 같지 않아요 (not the same)

Doesn't Seem

  • 아닌 것 같아요 (doesn't seem like)
  • 안 좋은 것 같아요 (doesn't seem good)
  • 갈 것 같지 않아요 (doesn't seem will go)

같다 vs 비슷하다

같다 (Same/Like)

Identical or very similar:

  • 같은 옷 (the same clothes - identical)
  • 똑같아요 (exactly the same)

비슷하다 (Similar)

Similar but not identical:

  • 비슷한 옷 (similar clothes)
  • 비슷해요 (is similar)

Nuance:

  • 같다: Can mean exactly same or like
  • 비슷하다: Always means similar, not identical

Special Patterns

같은데 (But/Though It's the Same)

Conjunction form:

  • 같은 옷인데 색이 달라요 (It's the same clothes, but the color is different)

같이 (Together)

Note: Different word!

  • 같이 가요 (go together)
  • Not related to 같다 (same/like)

같은 (듯하다) - Literary

Seems like (formal):

  • 꿈만 같습니다 (seems just like a dream)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Comparison

A: 이거랑 같은 거 있어요? (Do you have the same as this?)

B: 네, 같은 게 있어요. (Yes, we have the same one.)

Dialogue 2: Seems

A: 오늘 날씨가 어때요? (How's the weather today?)

B: 비가 올 것 같아요. (It seems like it will rain.)

Dialogue 3: Similarity

A: 우리 같은 나이예요? (Are we the same age?)

B: 네, 같은 해에 태어났어요. (Yes, we were born in the same year.)

Dialogue 4: Opinion

A: 이 영화 어때요? (How's this movie?)

B: 재미있는 것 같아요. (It seems interesting.)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 같다 + 에

Don't use location particle with 같다

✅ Correct: 같다 or 같은 + noun

Use as adjective or predicate

❌ Incorrect: 같이다

Wrong conjugation

✅ Correct: 같아요

Proper conjugation of 같다

Softening Opinions

Polite Uncertainty

것 같다 makes statements softer:

Direct:

  • 좋아요 (It's good)

Softer:

  • 좋은 것 같아요 (It seems good / I think it's good)

Very common in Korean to be indirect

Summary Table

PatternExampleMeaning
같은 + N같은 책same book
N + 같다친구같다like a friend
-(으)ㄴ 것 같다좋은 것 같다seems good
-(으)ㄹ 것 같다갈 것 같다seems will go
N랑 같다나랑 같다same as me

Key Takeaways

  • ✅ Three meanings: Same, like, seems
  • ✅ Softens opinions: 것 같다 for polite indirectness
  • ✅ Very common: Essential daily pattern
  • ✅ Modifies nouns: 같은 before nouns
  • ✅ Follows nouns: Noun + 같다 for similarity
  • ✅ Probability: -(으)ㄹ 것 같다 for future guesses

같다 is one of the most versatile and frequently used words in Korean, essential for comparisons, descriptions, and expressing uncertainty politely.