-듯이

As if, Like

Level 4Sounds Like deuti

-듯이 is used to compare two actions or states, meaning 'as if' or 'like'. It suggests the first clause describes the manner or basis for the second clause.

How It Works

-듯이 is a versatile connective ending used to draw a parallel between two situations, actions, or states. It means 'as if', 'like', or 'as though'. It has two primary structures.

1. Verb/Adjective Stem + -듯이
This form attaches directly to the stem to compare the manner of two actions. It's a straightforward comparison without specific tense implications in the comparison clause itself.

가다 → 가듯이
먹다 → 먹듯이
빠르다 → 빠르듯이
Example: 땀이 비 오듯이 흘렀다. (Sweat flowed as if it were raining.) - The manner of sweating is like the manner of raining.

2. Verb/Adjective + Adnominal Ending (-ㄴ/은/는/ㄹ) + 듯(이)
This form is very common and incorporates tense or aspect into the comparison by using adnominal endings before 듯(이).

Past (-ㄴ/은 듯이): Compares to a past action.
시간이 멈춘 듯이 조용했다. (It was quiet as if time had stopped.)
Present (-는 듯이): Compares to an ongoing action.
모든 것을 아는 듯이 말한다. (He talks as if he knows everything.)
Future/Conjecture (-ㄹ/을 듯이): Compares to a future or potential action.
그녀는 날아갈 듯이 가볍게 걸었다. (She walked lightly as if she would fly away.)

3. Shortened Form: -듯
In both spoken and written Korean, -듯이 is often shortened to -듯 in both structures. The meaning is identical.

물 쓰듯이 돈을 쓴다. → 물 쓰듯 돈을 쓴다. (He spends money as if it were water.)
날아갈 듯이 → 날아갈 듯

4. Comparison with 처럼:
While both can mean 'like', they have a key difference:

처럼 and 같이 primarily compare nouns. (e.g., 천사처럼 착하다 - kind like an angel)
-듯이 compares actions or states (clauses). (e.g., 날아가듯이 뛰었다 - ran as if flying)

5. Common Idiomatic Expressions:
-듯이 is frequently used in set phrases, usually with the stem form:

밥 먹듯이: (lit. as if eating a meal) -> very frequently, all the time. (e.g., 그는 거짓말을 밥 먹듯이 한다 - He lies all the time.)
불 보듯 뻔하다: (lit. as obvious as seeing fire) -> to be crystal clear, obvious.
씻은 듯이 낫다: (lit. to get better as if washed) -> to make a complete and sudden recovery.

Examples (5)

그는 물을 마시듯이 술을 마셨어요.
He drank alcohol as if he were drinking water.
Word by Word: He water drink-as-if alcohol drank.
This compares the action of 'drinking alcohol' to the action of 'drinking water' to emphasize how much or how easily he was drinking.
시간이 멈춘 듯이 거리는 조용했어요.
The street was quiet, as if time had stopped.
Word by Word: Time stopped-as-if the street was quiet.
Here, the state of 'the street being quiet' is compared to the hypothetical past state of 'time having stopped', using the past adnominal form -ㄴ before 듯이.
그는 거짓말을 밥 먹듯이 해요.
He lies as often as he eats.
Word by Word: He lies meal eat-as-if does.
This is a common idiomatic expression. '밥 먹듯이' means to do something very frequently and casually, just like eating a meal.
구름이 흘러가듯이 세월이 흘러간다.
Time flows by just like the clouds drift.
Word by Word: Clouds flow-as-if time flows.
A more literary or poetic example comparing the manner of time's passage to the manner of clouds' movement.
그녀는 날아갈 듯 가볍게 걸었다.
She walked lightly, as if she would fly away.
Word by Word: She fly-away-as-if lightly walked.
This example uses the future/conjecture adnominal form -ㄹ before the shortened form '-듯' to describe her walking.

Common Mistakes

Confusing -듯이 (as if) with -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 듯하다 (it seems like).
Not Quite밖에 비가 오듯이.
Better밖에 비가 오는 듯하다.
-듯이 is used for direct comparisons ('He ran as if flying'). To express a guess or assumption ('It seems like it's raining'), you should use -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 듯하다 or -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다.
Using -듯이 with nouns instead of 처럼.
Not Quite그녀는 천사듯이 착해요.
Better그녀는 천사처럼 착해요.
-듯이 attaches to verb and adjective stems to compare actions or states. To compare something to a noun (like 'angel'), you must use 처럼 or 같이.