I need to appear busy so my boss doesn't get mad
Earlier today I told a workmate, a non English fellow, that I need to appear busy and I said "Necesito aparecer que estoy ocupado". He smiled and said "¿Sí?" which means he understood me, because these guys are very unforgiving if you say something wrong. But I wonder if parecer is better, or if you need subjunctive? Does it work? Necesito aparecer que estoy ocupado para que no se enoja el manager. They use manager and not jefe very often. Also is it manageres? Gracias.
Also, así que or de modo que doesn't work there instead of para que does it? Gracias.
4 Answers
Right, in English you could use appear in that way, but not in Spanish.
You could say: "He appears at the bar" or "He appears sad",
In Spanish: "El aparecera en el bar", "El parece triste"
aparecer it's not the same as parecer.
aparecer is only for locations or places, "aparecer en mi casa", "aparecer en la television".
Excuse me if my english it's not the best, maybe i can't explain it right.
Aparecer is more like to appear as in to not be there and then to be there. Also, to show up. Parecer can be translated as "to seem" or "to appear to be", which is the meaning you're looking for. Necesito parecer ocupado is I need to seem busy. Necesito parecer que estoy ocupado is I need to seem like I'm busy. Two ways in each language of saying essentially the same idea.
Why not? Aparecer means appear right? I can't think of a better term for appear than to appear busy.
Edit: So para que and de modo que are activing subjunctive there, and así que is right out......
Necesito parecer ocupado, tengo que parecer ocupado, tengo que aparentar estar ocupado.
de modo que el jefe no se enoje, para que el jefe no se enoje.
"Aparecer" and "así que" doesn't work there.
