Paraître


The verb “paraître” means “to appear” or “to seem” in English. It is commonly used to describe how something appears or seems to be.

Conjugation in the Present Tense

  • Je parais (I appear/seem)
  • Tu parais (You appear/seem)
  • Il/Elle/On paraît (He/She/One appears/seems)
  • Nous paraissons (We appear/seem)
  • Vous paraissez (You appear/seem)
  • Ils/Elles paraissent (They appear/seem)

Examples

  1. Elle paraît heureuse.
  • She seems happy.
  1. Cela paraît impossible.
  • That seems impossible.
  1. Il paraît que tu as raison.
  • It appears that you are right.

Usage Tips

  • “Paraître” can be used to describe both physical appearance and how something seems to be in terms of perception.
  • It is an irregular verb, so pay attention to its unique conjugations.

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • Subjunctive regular verbs

    The subjunctive mood in French can seem difficult at first, but forming it for regular verbs is quite simple. Once you understand the basic method, it becomes much easier to use. The subjunctive is formed by taking the third-person plural form (ils/elles) of the present indicative tense, removing the -ent ending, and adding the subjunctive…

  • nouveau vs neuf

    The French adjectives “nouveau” and “neuf” both mean “new.” So how do you decide which one to use? Nouveau Meaning: Usage: “Nouveau” is used before the noun and agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies: Examples: Neuf Meaning: Usage: “Neuf” is also used before the noun and must agree in gender and…

  • | | |

    verb: s’attendre à

    The French verb “s’attendre à” means “to expect” or “to anticipate.” “S’attendre à” vs. “Attendre” The primary difference between “s’attendre à” and “attendre” is that “s’attendre à” is reflexive (or “pronominal” as we say in French) and “attendre” is not. While “attendre” means “to wait for” or “to await,” “s’attendre à” means “to expect” or…

  • to postpone

    The English verb to postpone can be translated into French in several ways, depending on the formality, context, and the nature of what is being delayed. The most common French equivalents include reporter, remettre, repousser, décaler, ajourner, and différer. Some of these verbs are close synonyms, but their usage can differ based on the setting…