Don't Understand this Korean phrase

네 이 건물에서 사는 것 같아요.

I don’t really understand the meaning of 것 here as well as 같아요. 사는 also, what does it actually mean, in this context? Thanks!

것 means “thing”, but it it very common in a lot of Korean grammatical expressions. “은/는 것 같다” means “it seems like”.

사는 is the verb 살다, which means “to live”. In this grammar pattern, the form of the verb is changed from 살다 to 사는.

Some examples:
제 친구가 수영을 잘 하는 것 같아요.
지갑을 잃어버린 것 같아요.
사장님은 열심히 일 하는 것 같아요.

aaaah i see now, thank you!

Just to add to what Alex said, “은/는 것 같다” can have the meaning of “i guess” “i think” “it seems” “it looks like” aswell depending on the context From what I’ve observed.

In your original sentence it would literally translated word for word to something like " Yes , this building in/at live (the) thing , it seems, (i) think ,( i ) guess , (it) looks like." Doesn’t make much sense at all to do it word for word =p.

So in “네 이 건물에서 사는 것 같아요. " It would translate to something more like " Yes, it seems like , I think that , I guess ( he ) lives in this building”

This verb ending used to confuse me ALOT too in the beginning but you actually get used to it and its a really helpful one to know!

Thank you soo much for all your help! I’m really starting to understand Korean a lot more now

o wait, so the verb “같다” means it seems/ it looks like/i guess/i think? or only when it is in this form “은/는 것 같다” ?

Check the dictionary :slight_smile:

The verb means “to be the same, similar, equal”

Sareunma ,

Not to discourage you but just when you think you understand korean it comes back and punches you in the face and cross bars you to the ground =p At least to me!!! HAHA

With that said, You might find the following links of some help along your journey

http://www.koreangrammaticalforms.com/ ( large data base with korean grammatical forms. )
http://www.talktomeinkorean.com/ ( very usefull information here aswell as good content to import! Explains alot of grammar forms including the one you were having problems with )
http://www.koreanwikiproject.com/ ( more useful info. Just click what you’re looking for in the Navigation bar on the right hand side )

good luck. Don’t spend too much time studying grammar though or else you’ll get lost.

ahahahahaha keroro, that what happens to me as well! Just when I’ve kind of understood this type of verb ending, BOOM! another one comes out of nowhere, ready to confuse me.

Thank you for the links you’ve given me!