# Похоже vs кажется



## Anita hk

I know that Похоже comes from  похо́жий, which means similar.  But Похоже means 'it looks like'.  Is there any difference between Похоже and кажется?  Thanks.


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## Boyar

"Похоже" and "кажется" differ in their degree of certainty: "похоже" can be translated as 'It looks like' (I'm almost certain), while "кажется" is rather 'It seems to me' (more doubt is implied).


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## nizzebro

As an introductory phrase,  похоже  sounds more self-confident, even though maybe a bit familiar; I'd say it is more common to men's speech.
The point is that the verb казаться, which literally is made up as "show-self (to smb.)", is used to denote not only assumptions about similarities but also acknowledging totally false visions:
Мне, наверное показалось - I must have imagined it.  It may be related as well to mistaking, hallucination, seeing ghosts...
Thus,  'кажется' has some of that weakness inside it.


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## Şafak

Anita hk said:


> I know that Похоже comes from  похо́жий, which means similar.  But Похоже means 'it looks like'.  Is there any difference between Похоже and кажется?  Thanks.


If you give us a full sentence to work with, we will be able to be more precise. Without it, I cannot pinpoint any difference and do not feel any difference in the degree of certainty.


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## Okkervil

*Похоже*, некоторые считают, что приводить контекст вовсе не обязательно. *Кажется*, что и словари уже не существуют.


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## Anita hk

Thank you for all the replies.  In Okkervil's examples, would both words work for both sentences?  Except for the difference in the degree of certainty, are there any instances where only one can be used but not the other?


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## Şafak

It’s frustratingly difficult to say anything without examples. Just try to understand.


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## Boyar

Anita hk said:


> Except for the difference in the degree of certainty, are there any instances where only one can be used but not the other?


There are some stable expressions, where *похоже* has to be used, not кажется:
Похоже на то. (It looks like this)
Похоже на правду. (It looks like true)
Это ни на что не похоже! (It's shocking! It's like nothing on earth!)

On the other hand, only *кажется* can be used as intensifier, not похоже:
Я не к вам, _кажется_, обращаюсь. (I am not talking to you, _am I?_)
Вам же, _кажется_, говорили про контекст. (You were told the context is needed, _weren't you?_)
(不是我说你。)


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## Anita hk

How about 'it seems that he would be late'.  I suppose both can be used, and that the difference is only in the degree of certainty?   
похоже / кажется, что он опоздает


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## nizzebro

Anita hk said:


> In Okkervil's examples, would both words work for both sentences? Except for the difference in the degree of certainty, are there any instances where only one can be used but not the other?


I think  Okkervil's line is a good illustration of the difference between these two phrases.
With кажется used in the first sentence, their stance would be unstable - either too sensitive, nervous, or childish.
Instead, they use похоже - which is more confident and, I would venture to say, patronizing, - and only then they add, as if spreading their arms in desperation: 'Кажется, что и словари уже не существуют'.

Aside from subtleties of Russian sarcasm, 'похоже' implies some summation, partial admitting the fact while 'кажется' reflects a sudden and unstable nature of the feeling.

Кажется, я потерял деньги. -  the suspicion arose...
Похоже, я потерял деньги. - said after they had checked their pockets.

Похоже, мы проиграли. - there's no verdict yet but still no chance; 'кажется' is not a good candidate here.



Anita hk said:


> How about 'it seems that he would be late'. I suppose both can be used, and that the difference is only in the degree of certainty?
> похоже / кажется, что он опоздает



Похоже, что он опоздает.  - again, facing the fact, almost 'admittedly'.
Кажется, он опоздает.   - rather a sudden suspicion.


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## Anita hk

nizzebro said:


> Кажется, он опоздает. - rather a sudden suspicion.


Thanks nizzebro for the quick reply.  Sometimes  Кажется  is followed by  что  and sometimes not, is there a rule to this?


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## nizzebro

Anita hk said:


> Sometimes Кажется is followed by что and sometimes not, is there a rule to this?


I would say
Мне кажется, что он опоздает - here, 'кажется' works as a normal verb.
but rather
Кажется, он опоздает - a purely introductory word.

As for 'похоже', it has some adjectival nature:
Похоже на то, что он опоздает. - here, it works like a modifier of an omitted reference like 'это'.
This nature of 'похоже' affects its introductory usage, so 'похоже, что ...' sounds quite natural.
Sure, 'похоже, он опоздает' is also fine.


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## Şafak

Anita hk said:


> How about 'it seems that he would be late'.  I suppose both can be used, and that the difference is only in the degree of certainty?
> похоже / кажется, что он опоздает


I see no difference. 

I would say: Наверное он опоздает.


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## nizzebro

Jennifer Weiss said:


> I see no difference.
> I would say: Наверное он опоздает.


You are definitely an easy-going person. 
What about this:

Наверное, они умрут.
Кажется, они умрут.
Похоже, они умрут.


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## Şafak

nizzebro said:


> You are definitely an easy-going person.
> What about this:
> 
> Наверное, они умрут.
> Кажется, они умрут.
> Похоже, они умрут.



No difference.


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## nizzebro

Jennifer Weiss said:


> No difference.


Eventually yes, there will be no difference....


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## Awwal12

To me "наверное, они умрут" expresses a noticeably higher extent of the speaker's uncertainty (~"probably they are going to/will die"). "Кажется" and "похоже" sound less uncertain (~"it seems").


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## nizzebro

Well, I shall continue hoping that you guys would see something beyond that probability scale...
Some, you know, feelings, or attitude, stuff like that...


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## Şafak

nizzebro said:


> Eventually yes, there will be no difference....



What’s that supposed to mean? I’m sorry (not sorry) I don’t feel any difference between the sentences like you do.


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## nizzebro

Jennifer Weiss said:


> What’s that supposed to mean? I’m sorry (not sorry) I don’t feel any difference between the sentences like you do.


I mean that these are adverbials used as introductory words and each of them implies a specific sentiment or attitude.
I agree that, in the case of 'он опоздает',  it is not so crucial which of them you would use (if it is not a formal situation).
But anyway, for the OP, it is good to know that 'похоже' differs from 'наверное' not only in terms of probability.

Suppose, they are going to say: Вам, наверное, нужно помочь?
But instead they say: Вам, похоже, нужно помочь? - which might sound rude.


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## Şafak

nizzebro said:


> Suppose, they are going to say: Вам, наверное, нужно помочь?
> But instead they say: Вам, похоже, нужно помочь? - which might sound rude.


Agree


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