parecer

to seem

parecer(pah-reh-sehr)

copular verb

1. (to appear to be)

a. to seem

Pareces cansado. ¿Dormiste bien anoche?

You seem tired. Did you sleep well last night?

b. to look

Pareces triste. ¿Qué pasó?

You look sad. What happened?

2. (to have a physical similarity to)

a. to look like

Mi perro parece un zorro con su cola tan larga.

My dog looks like a fox with his long tail.

transitive verb

3. (to give an impression)

a. to seem

Pareces tener mucha hambre.

You seem to be very hungry.

masculine noun

4. (view)

a. opinion

Tu parecer es distinto al mío.

Your opinion is different from mine.

impersonal verb

5. (to give the appearance of)

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.

intransitive verb

6. (to have an opinion)

a.

no direct 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

reciprocal verb

7. (to be alike)

a. to look alike

No nos parecemos pero somos hermanos.

We don't look alike, but we are brothers.

pronominal verb

8. (to be similar to)

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.

parecer

Noun

1. (opinión)

a. opinion

cambiar de parecerto change one's mind

2. (apariencia)

a.

de buen parecergood-looking

intransitive verb

3. (general)

a. to look like

parece un palacioit looks like a palace

parecía un sueñoit was like a dream

b. to look, to seem

pareces cansadoyou look o seem tired

es alemán, pero no lo parecehe's German, but he doesn't look it

¡pareces bobo!are you stupid, or what?

4. (expresa opinión)

a.

me parece que…I think o it seems to me that…

me parece que sí/noI think/don't think so

¿qué te parece mi vestido?what do you think of my dress?

¿qué te parece la idea? — me parece bien/malwhat do you think of the idea? — it seems OK to me/I don't think much of it

5. (tener aspecto de)

a.

parece que va a lloverit looks like it's going to rain

parece que le gustait looks as if o it seems that she likes it

eso pareceso it seems

al parecerapparently

pronominal verb

6. (general)

a. to be alike

parecerse a alguiento look like somebody

no tenemos yate ni nada que se le parezcawe haven't got a yacht or anything (like that)

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

parecer

1 (opinión) opinion; view

a mi parecer in my opinion o view; somos del mismo parecer we are of the same opinion o view; cambiar o mudar de parecer to change one's mind

2 (aspecto)

de buen parecer good-looking; handsome; de mal parecer unattractive

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; parece una foca she's huge o enormous (familiar); estos guantes parecen de seda these gloves feel like silk

parece un alfeñique

(por el carácter, el comportamiento) to seem

parece muy afectado por la noticia he seems very upset by the news; parecía una persona muy amable she seemed very nice; desde que se divorció no parece la misma since she got divorced she seems a different person

parece muy simpática parece muy difícil

2 (uso impersonal) (dar la impresión de) to seem

todo parecía indicar que estaba interesado everything seemed to point towards him being interested; aunque no lo parezca surprising though it may seem o (formal) appear; así parece so it seems o (formal) appears

al parecera lo que parece apparently; seemingly

parece como si

parece como si quisiera ocultar algo it's as if he were trying to hide something; en mi sueño parecía como si volara in my dream it was as if I was flying

parece que

parece que va a llover it looks as though o as if it's going to rain; it looks like rain; parece que fue ayer it seems only yesterday; parece que huele a gas I think I can smell gas

según parece apparently; seemingly

parece ser que

parece ser que van a aumentar las temperaturas it seems o (formal) appears (that) it's going to get warmer; parece ser que ha habido algún problema it seems o (formal) appears (that) there has been a problem

3 (indicando opinión)

parecerle a algn: ¿qué os pareció la película? what did you think of the film?

¿qué te parece?

¿no te parece extraño que no haya llamado? don't you think it's strange that she hasn't called?; me parece bien que vayas I think it's a good idea for you to go; te llamaré luego, si te parece bien I'll phone you later, if that's all right with o by you; ¡me parece muy mal! I think it's shocking!; si a usted no le parece mal if you don't mind; me parece mentira que haya pasado tanto tiempo I can't believe it has been so long; podríamos ir al cine si te parece we could go to the cinema if you like; vamos a la piscina, ¿te parece? what do you say we go to the swimming pool?; what about going to the swimming pool?

¿cómo te parece?

como te parezca as you wish

parecer que

me parece que se está haciendo tarde it's getting rather late, I think; me parece que sí I think so; me parece que no I don't think so; ¿te parece que está bien no acudir a una cita? do you think it's acceptable not to turn up for an appointment?

4 (aparecer) to appear; [+objeto perdido] to turn up

pareció el sol entre las nubes the sun appeared through the clouds

cuando la luna parezca

ya parecieron los guantes the gloves have turned up; ¡ya pareció aquello! so that was it!

pronominal verb

parecerse

1 (asemejarse)

parecerse a algn (en el aspecto) to look like sb; be like sb; (en el carácter) to be like sb; en esta foto se parece mucho a su abuelo in this photo he looks o is a lot like his grandfather; el retrato no se le parece the portrait isn't a bit like him; es muy sensible, se parece a su madre she's very sensitive, she's like her mother; parecerse a algo to look like sth; be like sth; su jersey se parece al mío his jumper looks o is like mine; ni cosa que se parezca nor anything of the sort

2 (uso recíproco) (en el aspecto) to look alike; be alike; (en el carácter) to be alike

María y Ana se parecen mucho

son hermanas pero no se parecen mucho they're sisters but they don't look o they aren't very much alike; ¿en qué se parecen estos dos objetos? what's the similarity between these two objects?; in what way are these two objects alike?