In Spanish, parecer and aparecer express different kinds of "appearance":
- parecer = "to seem," "to appear" (as in giving an impression)
- aparecer = "to appear," "to show up" (physically or visually)
parecer: to seem, to appear (in terms of impression)
parecer is used to express an opinion, impression, or how something/someone seems to the subject.
- It’s a stative verb describing perceptions, not actions.
- Commonly used like "to seem," "to look like," or "to appear" (in a subjective sense).
- The thing/person doing the "seeming" is the subject, and the thing that "seems" is the subject of the idea being expressed.
parecer conjugation (present indicative)
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | parezco |
| Tú | pareces |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | parece |
| Nosotros | parecemos |
| Vosotros | parecéis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Uds. | parecen |
Examples with parecer
- Ella parece cansada. — She seems tired.
- ¿Te parece buena idea? — Does it seem like a good idea to you?
- Ellos parecen felices. — They seem happy.
- La película parece interesante. — The movie seems interesting.
*parecer* is used for impressions: 'Ella parece nerviosa' and 'La situación parece complicada' are correct.
*parecer* expresses how something seems, not physical appearance.
aparecer: to appear, to show up (physically/visually)
aparecer describes someone or something showing up, appearing, or emerging—physically or visually. It’s about real, observable presence.
- Used when someone/something comes into sight or is noticed.
- Common in contexts like someone arriving unexpectedly, or something appearing on a screen/map.
aparecer conjugation (present indicative)
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | aparezco |
| Tú | apareces |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | aparece |
| Nosotros | aparecemos |
| Vosotros | aparecéis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Uds. | aparecen |
Examples with aparecer
- El sol aparece por el horizonte. — The sun appears on the horizon.
- María no aparece por ninguna parte. — María doesn’t show up anywhere.
- Los datos aparecen en la pantalla. — The data appear on the screen.
- De repente, un coche apareció en la calle. — Suddenly, a car appeared on the street.
*aparecer* is for things/people physically or visibly appearing: 'El fantasma apareció' and 'Los nombres aparecen en la lista' are correct.
*aparecer* is used for showing up or becoming visible.
Key Differences
| Verb | Meaning | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| parecer | to seem, to appear (as impression) | When giving opinions/impressions | Ella parece lista. (She seems ready.) |
| aparecer | to appear, to show up | When someone/something becomes visible or shows up | Ella apareció en la fiesta. (She appeared at the party.) |
Conclusion
parecer focuses on perceptions and impressions, while aparecer deals with physical or visible emergence.
- Use parecer for "to seem" (subjective impression).
- Use aparecer for "to appear" (something/someone physically shows up).