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Seem vs Appear

Spoken Description

Comparez paraître et apparaître : nuances de sens, exemples et conjugaisons, traductions trompeuses et erreurs fréquentes. Phrases en contexte formel et familier, expressions liées et conseils pour bien choisir le verbe.

Compare paraître and apparaître: subtle meaning differences, examples, conjugations, false friends and common mistakes. Contextual sentences (formal and informal), related expressions and tips to choose the correct verb.

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Ce guide bref explique quand utiliser paraître et apparaître, avec des exemples rapides et les différences clés. Chaque section fournit des exemples courants afin que vous puissiez ressentir la nuance dans une utilisation réelle.

This short guide explains when to use paraître and apparaître, with quick examples and key differences. Each section gives market‑street‑level sentences so you can feel the nuance in real use.

Paraître

Utilisez paraître lorsque vous parlez de la façon dont quelqu’un ou quelque chose semble aux autres, souvent basé sur une impression ou un jugement. Cela met en évidence une apparence extérieure ou une qualité perçue plutôt qu’une arrivée littérale.

Use paraître when talking about how someone or something seems to others, often based on impression or judgment. It highlights an outward appearance or perceived quality rather than a literal arrival.

Examples

Usage Notes

Paraître can be followed by an adjective, noun, or infinitive, and is commonly used in contexts where appearance is tied to opinion or expectation. It often appears in news, reviews, and everyday assessments.

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Apparaître

Utilisez apparaître pour quelque chose qui montre littéralement ou figurativement, devient visible ou apparaît dans le champ de vision. Il met l’accent sur l’acte d’apparaître plutôt que sur une impression durable.

Use apparaître for something that literally or figuratively shows up, becomes visible, or comes into view. It emphasizes the act of appearing rather than a lasting impression.

Examples

Usage Notes

Apparaître is often used for physical appearances, sudden manifestations, or when something emerges in time or space. It can be used in narratives, descriptions, and reports of events.

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Key Differences

Remember: use paraître for seeming or seeming to be, which relates to perception, and apparaître for actual appearing or becoming visible. They are not interchangeable because they serve different functions—one evaluative, the other descriptive.

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Summary

Use paraître to express how something seems to be, based on appearance or judgment, and use apparaître to signal that something has appeared or become visible. Keep these roles in mind to choose the natural verb for each context.

All content was written by our AI and may contain a few mistakes. We may earn commissions on some links. Last updated: Mon Dec 8, 2025, 6:26 AM