Paraître vs Apparaître – To Seem vs To Appear
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
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
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 📰 L'article paraît ce matin. | The article appears this morning. |
| 👗 Elle paraît élégante ce soir. | She seems elegant tonight. |
| 🧑🎓 Il paraît fatigué après les exams. | He seems tired after the exams. |
| 📚 Ce livre paraît intéressant. | This book seems interesting. |
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
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
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 💡 Une idée a soudain paru. | An idea suddenly appeared. |
| 🌟 L'acteur est apparu sur scène. | The actor appeared on stage. |
| 🕵️♂️ Le témoin est apparu à l'improviste. | The witness appeared unexpectedly. |
| 🖼️ Une image est apparue sur l'écran. | An image appeared on the screen. |
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.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025