French word

paraître

Pronunciation

IPA/paʁɛtʁ/

Meaning

  • verbseem

Example

Elle paraît heureuse aujourd'hui.

She seems happy today.

Illustration for paraître (seem)

More examples

Le nom de l'auteur paraît dans la revue.

The author's name appears in the magazine.

Core concept

A quality seems to show on the outside, giving a person or thing a particular appearance.

Common phrases

  • paraître heureux

    seem happy

  • paraître dans le journal

    appear in the newspaper

  • paraître à l'écran

    appear on screen

Similar words

avoir l'air: To look a certain way because of one's appearance or expression.
sembler: To give the impression that something is true from what is seen or known.

Definition in French

Donner l'impression d'être quelque chose, sembler; souvent employé avec un adjectif.

Word origin

French paraître comes through Old French paroistre and paraistre from Latin apparēre, originally meaning to become visible before extending to seeming a certain way.

Usage tips

  • Il paraît que usually introduces reported information and is normally followed by a clause, whereas paraît heureux directly presents an apparent quality.

Other meanings

  • appearverb
  • be publishedverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word