-(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다

seem, appear (softer, more written than -(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다)

Level 4 · TOPIK II · intermediate

How to use it

Expresses a guess based on observation, or softens the speaker's statement. -(으)ㄴ past (verbs), -는 present (verbs), -(으)ㄴ adjectives, -(으)ㄹ future/conjecture. Common in writing and formal speech; -(으)ㄴ/는 듯싶다 is similar.

Forming it

오다	→ 오는 듯하다
끝나다	→ 끝난 듯하다
피곤하다	→ 피곤한 듯하다
내리다	→ 내릴 듯하다

듯하다 is one word, written with a space after the modifier: 올 듯하다. Match the tense to the time: 곧 (soon) needs -(으)ㄹ 듯하다, ✗ 곧 온 듯해요.

Examples

회의실이 조용한 걸 보니 회의가 끝난 듯해요.
The meeting room is quiet, so the meeting seems to be over.
하늘이 흐려서 곧 눈이 내릴 듯합니다.
The sky is cloudy, so it looks like it will snow soon.

Compared with similar patterns

-(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다 (G2-006) is the everyday spoken equivalent. -(으)ㄴ/는 모양이다 (G4-011) is an inference about others from evidence. -듯(이) (G4-013) is a connective meaning 'as if', not a sentence ending.