sembler

sembler [sɑ̃ble]

➭ TABLE 1

1. impersonal verb

   a. ( = paraître) il semble bon/inutile de ... it seems a good idea/useless to ...

• il {{n}}semblerait{{/n}} qu'il ne soit pas venu it would seem that he didn't come

   b. ( = estimer) il peut te sembler démodé de ... it may seem old-fashioned to you to ...

• c'était lundi, il me semble I think it was on Monday

• il me semble que ... it seems to me that ...

• il me semble que oui/que non I think so/I don't think so

• comme bon te semble as you see fit

   c. ( = croire) il me semble que I think (that)

• il me semblait bien que je l'avais posé là I really thought I had put it down here

• il me semble vous l'avoir déjà dit I think I've already told you

   d. (locutions) je suis déjà venu ici, me semble-t-il it seems to me that I've been here before

• il a, semble-t-il, essayé de me contacter apparently he tried to contact me

2. intransitive verb

to seem

• il semblait content he seemed happy

• vous me semblez bien pessimiste ! you seem very pessimistic!

• il ne semblait pas convaincu he didn't seem convinced

• tout semble indiquer que leur départ fut précipité all the signs are that they left in a hurry

• mes arguments ne semblent pas l'avoir convaincu apparently he has not been convinced by my arguments

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sɑ̃ble
1.

verbe intransitif to seem

le temps m'a semblé long — the time seemed to me to pass slowly

tout semble possible — it seems anything is possible

2.

verbe impersonnel

il semble bon de faire — it seems appropriate to do

faites comme bon vous semble — do whatever you think best

le problème est réglé à ce qu'il me semble — the problem has been solved, or so it seems to me

il me semble important de faire — I think it is important to do

il me semble l'avoir déjà rencontrée — I think I've met her before

elle a, semble-t-il, refusé — apparently, she has refused

si bon me semble — if I feel like it

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sɑ̃ble vi

1) (avec attribut) to seem

Ce résultat me semble juste. — This result seems fair to me.

2) (avec verbe à l'infinitif)

sembler être — to seem to be

Le temps semble s'améliorer. — The weather seems to be improving.

3) (verbe impersonnel)

il semble que — it seems that

il semble inutile de — it seems useless to

Il me semble inutile de s'en inquiéter. — It seems pointless to me to worry about it.

il me semble bien que — it really seems to me that, I really think that

il me semble le connaître — I think I know him, I've a feeling I know him

me semble-t-il; à ce qu'il me semble — it seems to me, to my mind

comme bon lui semble — as he sees fit

* * *

sembler verb table: aimer

A vi to seem; sembler heureux/être heureux to seem happy/to be happy; elle semble croire que she seems to believe that; le voyage m'a semblé long the journey seemed long to me; le temps m'a semblé long the time seemed to me to pass slowly; la maison semble vide the house seems empty; tout semble possible it seems anything is possible.

B v impers il semble que it seems that; il semble bon de faire it seems appropriate to do; faites comme bon vous semble do whatever you think best; il semble que le problème soit réglé it seems (that) the problem has been solved; il semblerait que le problème soit réglé it would seem that the problem has been solved; le problème est réglé à ce qu'il me semble the problem has been solved, or so it seems to me; il me semble que c'est trop grand it seems too big to me; il me semble surprenant que it strikes me as strange that; il me semble important de faire I think it is important to do; elle a raison, me semble-t-il or il me semble or ce me semble I think she's right; il me semble l'avoir déjà rencontrée I think I've met her before; elle a, semble-t-il, refusé apparently, she has refused; si bon me semble if I feel like it; elle ne travaille que quand bon lui semble she only works when she feels like it.

[sɑ̃ble] verbe intransitif

to seem, to appear

elle semble plus âgée que lui she seems (to be) ou she looks older than him

ils semblaient bien s'entendre they seemed ou appeared to be getting on well

ça peut sembler drôle à certains this may seem ou sound funny to some

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il semble verbe impersonnel

1. [dire que]

il semble que ... it seems ...

il semble qu'il y a ou ait eu un malentendu it seems that ou it looks as if there's been a misunderstanding, there seems to have been a misunderstanding

il semblerait qu'il ait décidé de démissionner reports claim ou it has been reported that he intends to resign

2. [croire que]

il me/te semble (que) : cela ne te semble-t-il pas injuste? don't you find this unfair?, doesn't this strike you as being unfair?

c'est bien ce qu'il m'a semblé I thought as much

il ne me semblait pas te l'avoir dit I didn't think I'd told you about it

il était, me semblait-il, au courant de tout it seemed ou appeared to me that he was aware of everything

il me semble qu'on s'est déjà vus I think we've met before

ce me semble (soutenu) : je vous l'ai déjà dit, ce me semble it would seem to me that I have already told you that

comme/quand/qui bon me semble : faites comme bon vous semble do as you think fit ou best, do as you please

je sors quand/avec qui bon me semble I go out whenever/with whoever I please

{{ind}}à ce qu'il semble, semble-t-il locution adverbiale

seemingly, apparently

ils sont blessés, semble-t-il they seem to be hurt, it seems (as though) they're hurt, apparently, they're hurt