Parece Un Huevo

Question

Hello,

I was doing Duolingo today and this question came up. I answered it seems a egg which was mark wrong. The answer was it looks like an egg. I don't understand how that can be can someone shed some light on this so the next time this question comes up I can get it right?

Answer 1

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1256300

Someone from Greece:

Hola!

podemos decir: "los bloques de pisos parecen como hoteles."? me parece que es incorrecto.

Decimos : "los bloques de pisos parecen como si fueran hoteles", no? Otra manera para decir lo mismo?

gracias

Answer from someone from Madrid:

Puedes decir simplemente "los bloques de pisos parecen hoteles".

Saludos.

Answer from someone from Argentina:

Tiene razón lady jekyll, puedes decir "parecen", o bien "son como", pero no las dos expresiones juntas.

saludos!

nice research, bien hecho :) You're spot on! - Kiwi-Girl, Mar 9, 2015

Thanks, Kiwi :) - bosquederoble, Mar 9, 2015

Answer 2

It is just what it means:

• http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/parecer

def:

3 (+ sustantivo) to look like- parece un palacio it looks like a palace -parecía un sueño it was like a dream

and part 2:

INTRANSITIVE VERB 1 (uso copulativo) (por el aspecto) to look; to look like

esos zapatos no parecen muy cómodos those shoes don't look very comfortable;

pareces más joven you look younger;

parece una modelo she looks like a model;

¡pareces una reina! you look like a queen!;

una casa que parece un palacio a house that looks like a palace;

Answer 3

I too would be inclined to use 'como' and google translate bears this out as correct (for what that's worth). However, I can kind of understand why 'parecer' on its own might also be correct.

In English we usually use 'like' in conjunction with 'seem' or 'appear', but in fact 'like' is optional, and really otiose (at least in British English).

For example:

• He seems like a good doctor = he seems to be a good doctor = he seems a good doctor... All are correct

Or

• It appears like a bargain = it appears to be a bargain = it appears a bargain... Again all are correct

But maybe a native speaker could confirm...

"Otiose" is one of my favorite words. One so seldom encounters it, yet some days, today being one of them, I feel positively otiose. :>) - AnnRon, Mar 9, 2015

You mean you feel like a huevo... ? ;-) - Faldaesque, Mar 9, 2015

Now that you mention it . . . :>) - AnnRon, Mar 9, 2015

Answer 4

Looking at bosquederoble's link, I now think he is correct (as was your original answer). Further down that link, when "como" is used with "parecer" it means "it seems as if" which has a slightly different meaning from "it looks like" or "it seems like."

Answer 5

I would have said "Parece como un huevo" or "Se ve como un huevo." Maybe it was leaving out the "como." The English phrase would be "It seems like an egg" or, more commonly, "It looks like an egg."

Answer 6

I can't really follow the question but "parece" is often translated as "looks like".

Just what I was trying to say in my long winded way. :) - bosquederoble, Mar 9, 2015