In this lesson, we are looking at the words -같이 and -처럼. They are both particles (used after nouns) that mean “like + N”. When you use -같이 or -처럼 after a word, the word group works like an adverb in a sentence. (i.e. “like a robot”, “like a Korean girl”, etc.)

Many people make the mistake of using -같이 and 처럼 with the verb for “to be”, but more on that later in this lesson.

Noun + -같이/처럼 = like + N, as + N
1. 종이 + -처럼 = 종이처럼 [jong-i-cheo-reom] = like paper
2. 로봇 + -처럼 = 로봇처럼 [ro-bot-cheo-reom] = like a robot

→ 종이처럼 가볍다 = to be light like paper
→ 로봇처럼 걷다 = to walk like a robot

Examples
1. 저처럼 해 보세요.
[jeo-cheo-reom hae bo-se-yo.]
= Try doing it like I do.

2. 그 사람은 한국어를 한국 사람처럼 잘해요.
[geu sa-ra-meun han-gu-geo-reul han-guk sa-ram-cheo-reom ja-rae-yo.]
= He speaks Korean well like a Korean person.

3. 제가 어제 말한 것처럼 했어요?
[je-ga eo-je ma-ran geot-cheo-reom hae-sseo-yo?]
= Did you do it like I said yesterday?

All the sentences above can be written with -같이 in the place of -처럼, too, but only some of them are “very” natural.
→ 저같이 해 보세요.
→ 그 사람은 한국어를 한국 사람같이 잘해요.
→ 제가 어제 말한 것같이 했어요?

** -처럼 and -같이 are interchangeable in most cases and which sounds more natural depends on the person’s opinion.

같이 and -같이
Even though they are basically the same word, there is a difference in the meaning between when you say -같이 after a noun and 같이 independently. When 같이 is used independently as an adverb, it means “together”. In this case, you would often need the particle -와 or -(이)랑 that means “with”.

Ex)
저 사람같이 하세요
[jeo sa-ram-ga-chi ha-se-yo.]
= Do like that person does.

저 사람이랑 같이 하세요.
[jeo sa-ra-mi-rang ga-chi ha-se-yo.]
= Do it together with that person.

-같이 and -같은
When you add -같이 after a noun, it works as an adverb. And when you want to make the expression work as an adjective, you can add -같은 instead of -같이. This does not apply to -처럼.

Ex)
저같은 사람
[jeo-ga-teun sa-ram]
= a person like me
= somebody like me

Sample Sentences
1. 강아지가 곰처럼 생겼어요.
[gang-a-ji-ga gom-cheo-reom saeng-gyeo-sseo-yo.]
= The puppy looks like a bear.

2. 오늘은 일요일같은 월요일이에요.
[o-neu-reun i-ryo-il-ga-teun wo-ryo-i-ri-e-yo.]
= Today is a Monday (that feels) like a Sunday.

3. 제 친구는 미국인인데 영어를 영국 사람처럼 해요.
[je chin-gu-neun mi-gu-gi-nin-de yeong-eo-reul yeong-guk sa-ram-cheo-reom hae-yo.]
= My friend is American but s/he speaks English like a British person.

4. 왜 집을 요새처럼 만들었어요?
[wae ji-beul yo-sae-cheo-reom man-deu-reo-sseo-yo?]
= Why did you make your house like a fortress?

5. 바보처럼 정말 그 말을 믿었어요?
[ba-bo-cheo-reom jeong-mal geu ma-reul mi-deo-sseo-yo?]
= Did you really believe that like a fool?