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"Suponer" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to suppose", and "parecer" is a copular verb which is often translated as "to seem". Learn more about the difference between "suponer" and "parecer" below.
suponer(
soo
-
poh
-
nehr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to think)
a. to suppose
Supongo que el examen no te será muy difícil con notas así.I suppose that the exam won't be very difficult for you with grades like that.
b. to assume
Suponiendo que lleguen tarde, ¿qué hacemos mientras tanto?Assuming they are late, what can we do in the meantime?
c. to imagine
Supón que ganemos la lotería, podríamos comprar todas las donas del mundo.Imagine if we won the lottery; we could buy all the donuts in the world.
a. to imagine
Lo suponía mucho más rico de lo que es.I imagined he was much richer than he actually is.
3. (to imply)
a. to mean
Una falta repentina de fondos supondría el final del proyecto.A sudden lack of funds would mean the end of the project.
suponerse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
4. (to think)
parecer(
pah
-
reh
-
sehr
)A copular verb links the subject of a clause to the predicate (e.g., My brother is tall).
a. to look like
Mi perro parece un zorro con su cola tan larga.My dog looks like a fox with his long tail.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
An impersonal verb is a verb with no apparent subject (e.g., Llueve en España.).
a. to look like
Parece que va a nevar. - No creo; no está lo suficientemente frío.It looks like it's going to snow. - I don't think so; it's not cold enough.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Me parece que el ministro debería dimitir.I think the minister should resign.
¿Qué te pareció la serie sobre la familia real? - Me pareció una tontería.What did you think of the series about the royal family? - I thought it was nonsense.
parecerse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to look like
Te pareces mucho a tu papá cuando tenía tu edad.You look a lot like your father when he was your age.
b. to be like
Se parece a un vaquero con esas botas y esa actitud.He's like a cowboy with those boots and that attitude.
A reciprocal verb is a verb that indicates that two or more subjects perform an action on each other (e.g., Ellos se abrazan.).
