~がする
To have a sensory experience
Sense + がする
がする is a phrase used with sensory words to describe hearing/feeling/sensing them. It may help to think of がする as がある instead, which would have essentially the same meaning (In English).
- 後ろから音がする – I hear a sound behind me.
- お菓子はいい味がした – The candy tasted good.
- いいにおいがする花がほしい – I want flowers that smell good.
気がする
Have a feeling that..
い Adjective/Plain form verb + 気がする
なAdjective + な気がする
Nounの気がする
In addition to hear, taste, and smell, you can use 気 with がする as well. 気 means something “air (about a person)” “feeling” or “atmosphere”. When used with がする it means “to feel like” or “to have a feeling that”. It is used to express intuition or a general “feeling”.
- うまくいく気がする – I feel like it’ll go well.
- できる気がしたけど失敗しちゃった – It felt like I could do it, but I failed.
- 彼が強い気がする – I feel like he’s strong
- 遠回りの気がする – I get the feeling this is the long way around.
- いい人みたいな気がする – I get the feeling like they’re a good person.
気がする is similar to と思う、but references intuition or a hunch.
~ような気がする
Have a feeling like..
ような+気がする
気がする is often paired with ような (something like). This (barely) changes the meaning to “I have a feeling something like..”
While it is acceptable to use Noun + 気がする and な Adjective + 気がする, these patterns in particular tend to be used with ような.
みたいな/そうな can also be used instead of ような.
- 生まれ変わったような気がする. – I feel like I’ve been reborn.
- 彼は試験に合格するような気がする. – I get a feeling like he’ll pass the exam.
- バカみたいな気がする. – I feel like an idiot.
Sentences partially pulled from Weblio