As if it were...: -다시피

🌈 The Big Picture

🎨 The Core 다시피 Family

1. Shared knowledge: 알다시피 / 아시다시피

• 알다시피 [al-da-si-pi] — as you know

• 아시다시피 [a-si-da-si-pi] — as you know, honorific/polite

2. Shared visual evidence: 보다시피

• 보다시피 [bo-da-si-pi] — as you can see

• 보시다시피 [bo-si-da-si-pi] — as you can see, honorific/polite

3. Shared speech or report: 말하다시피 / 말했다시피 / 듣다시피

• 말하다시피 [ma-ra-da-si-pi] — as I say / as one says

• 말했다시피 [ma-raet-da-si-pi] — as I said

• 듣다시피 [deut-da-si-pi] — as you hear / as heard

• 들었다시피 [deu-reot-da-si-pi] — as you heard

4. “Practically / almost”: -다시피 하다

• 살다시피 하다 [sal-da-si-pi ha-da] — to practically live somewhere

• 일하다시피 하다 [il-ha-da-si-pi ha-da] — to practically work nonstop

• 울다시피 하다 [ul-da-si-pi ha-da] — to almost cry / practically cry

🛠️ How It Works in a Sentence

• 아시다시피 오늘 회의가 중요해요.
[a-si-da-si-pi o-neul hoe-ui-ga jung-yo-hae-yo]
As you know, today’s meeting is important. 🗓️
회의 = meeting; 중요하다 = to be important.

• 보다시피 방이 아주 조용해요.
[bo-da-si-pi ba-ngi a-ju jo-yong-hae-yo]
As you can see, the room is very quiet. 🤫
방 = room; 조용하다 = to be quiet.

• 시험 전에 도서관에서 살다시피 했어요.
[si-heom jeo-ne do-seo-gwa-ne-seo sal-da-si-pi hae-sseo-yo]
Before the exam, I practically lived at the library. 📚
시험 = exam; 도서관 = library; 살다 = to live.

🧩 General Formation Rule

1. Verb plain form + 다시피

• 알다 → 알다시피 — as you know

• 보다 → 보다시피 — as you see

• 듣다 → 듣다시피 — as you hear

• 말하다 → 말하다시피 — as one says / as I say

2. Past plain form + 다시피

• 말했다 → 말했다시피 — as I said

• 들었다 → 들었다시피 — as you heard

• 봤다 → 봤다시피 — as you saw

3. Verb plain form + 다시피 하다

• 살다 → 살다시피 하다 — to practically live

• 일하다 → 일하다시피 하다 — to practically work nonstop

• 울다 → 울다시피 하다 — to almost cry

4. Natural companions

• 거의 살다시피 했어요.
[geo-ui sal-da-si-pi hae-sseo-yo]
I practically lived there. 🏠

📚 Cross-check note

🪞 Synonym Alert

• -다시피 — as you know / see / heard; shared evidence 🔎

• -듯이 — as / like; broader comparison 🎨

• 거의 — almost / nearly; an adverb, not a connector 🧭

• 마치 ...처럼 — just like / as if; comparison with a stronger “like” feeling 🎭

• 아시다시피 회의가 중요해요. — As you know, the meeting is important. Shared knowledge.

• 그는 선생님처럼 설명해요. — That person explains like a teacher. Comparison.

• 거의 울었어요. — I almost cried. Simple near-event.

• 울다시피 했어요. — I was practically crying. Vivid near-state.

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

• ❌ 알 다시피 → ✅ 알다시피 (Attach 다시피 directly.)

• ❌ 아는 다시피 → ✅ 아시다시피 or 알다시피 (Use the plain-form base.)

• ❌ 보다시피 했어요 for “I almost saw it” → ✅ 거의 봤어요 (The “practically” meaning usually describes a repeated/intense state, not a simple near-success.)

• ❌ 도서관에서 살았어요 when you mean “practically lived there” → ✅ 도서관에서 살다시피 했어요 (This is exaggeration, not literal residence.)

• ❌ Using 다시피 for every “as if” → ✅ Use 처럼 or 듯이 for ordinary comparison.