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Easy Korean - Level 9, Unit 16: You could say that... (-(으)ㄴ/는 셈이다)

When a situation is not exactly or literally something, but the result is so similar that you can basically consider it the same, you use the structure -(으)ㄴ/는 셈이다.

It translates to "It is practically the same as..." or "You could say that..."

Structure Breakdown

  • -(으)ㄴ/는 = Noun modifier
  • 셈 = calculation / count / assessment
  • 이다 = to be

Literally: "By my calculation, it is [X]." Naturally: "It practically counts as [X]."

How to Conjugate

This uses standard noun modifier rules.

1. Action Verbs (Present)

Attach -는 셈이다 * 살다 -> 사는 셈이다 (I practically live there) * 먹다 -> 먹는 셈이다 (It's like I'm eating it)

2. Action Verbs (Past)

Attach -(으)ㄴ 셈이다 * 하다 -> 한 셈이다 (You could say I did it / It's practically done) * 보다 -> 본 셈이다 (I basically watched it)

3. Descriptive Verbs / Adjectives

Attach -(으)ㄴ 셈이다 * 같다 -> 같은 셈이다 (It is practically the same) * 비싸다 -> 비싼 셈이다 (You could say it is expensive)

When to use it?

Imagine you bought a shirt for $10, but they gave you a $10 gift card back. You didn't literally get the shirt for free, but by calculation, you could say you got it for free! * "공짜로 받은 셈이에요." (It's practically like I got it for free.)

Example Sentences

  1. 매일 야근을 하니까 회사에서 사는 셈이에요. (Because I work overtime every day, it's practically like I live at the company.)

  2. 열 명 중에 아홉 명이 왔으니까 다 온 셈이에요. (9 out of 10 people came, so you could say everyone came.)

  3. 이 정도면 거의 성공한 셈입니다. (At this level, you could basically call it a success.)

  4. 올해는 다 간 셈이네요. (This year is practically gone.)