French word

ressembler

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁəsɑ̃ble/

Meaning

  • verblook like

Example

Il ressemble beaucoup à son père.

He looks a lot like his father.

Illustration for ressembler (look like)

More examples

Cette photo ressemble à s'y méprendre à l'original.

This photo resembles the original so closely that it is hard to tell them apart.

Core concept

A subject brings another person or thing to mind through a matching look, manner, or set of traits.

Common phrases

  • ressembler à quelqu'un

    resemble someone

  • ressembler beaucoup à

    closely resemble ___

  • ressembler à s'y méprendre

    resemble ___ so closely that it is hard to tell them apart

Similar words

sembler: Seem to have a particular quality or to be in a particular state.
avoir l'air: Give the impression of being in a particular state or mood.
paraître: Appear to be a certain way based on outward signs.

Definition in French

Signifie qu'un sujet évoque par son apparence ou son comportement une autre personne ou chose, suivi de la préposition à.

Word origin

Ressembler is an inherited French formation from Old French resembler, built with re- on sembler and ultimately linked to Latin similare.

Usage tips

  • With a pronoun, French commonly uses the indirect form: Il lui ressemble means 'He resembles him', while à lui is used for emphasis.

Other meanings

  • be similar toverb

Opposites

Related words

  • ressemblanceresemblancenoun
  • ressemblantsimilar-lookingadjective

Word lists with this word