Italian: Expressing Doubt with 'sembrare', 'parere', and 'assomigliare'
Learn to use Italian verbs and constructions that express how things seem, appear, or look like, distinguishing appearance-based doubt from general uncertainty.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When you want to say that something seems unlikely, appears difficult, or looks like a certain way in Italian, you need verbs of appearance rather than simple uncertainty words like 'forse' or 'magari'. The core verbs are 'sembrare' and 'parere', both meaning 'to seem' or 'to appear', and the phrase 'assomigliare a' meaning 'to look like' or 'to resemble'. This lesson teaches you to build natural sentences with these expressions, use the correct pronouns, and avoid common traps. You will practice with concrete examples and a short dialogue.
By the end, you can…
- use 'sembrare' and 'parere' to say that something seems or appears a certain way.
- use 'assomigliare a' to say that someone or something looks like another person or thing.
- distinguish between expressing doubt about appearance and expressing general uncertainty.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Sembra improbabile.
It seems unlikely.
SEM-bra im-pro-BA-bi-le
Use when judging a situation based on what you see or know; 'sembra' is third-person singular of 'sembrare'.
Mi sembra strano.
It seems strange to me.
mee SEM-bra STRA-no
The indirect object pronoun 'mi' shows who has the impression; common in everyday conversation.
Pare che sia così.
It appears that it is so.
PA-re ke SEE-a ko-ZEE
'Parere' is slightly more formal or literary than 'sembrare'; 'pare che' triggers the subjunctive 'sia'.
Assomiglia a suo padre.
He looks like his father.
as-so-MEE-lya a swoo PA-dre
'Assomigliare a' means 'to resemble' or 'to look like'; the preposition 'a' is required before the person or thing.
Non sembra affatto facile.
It doesn't seem easy at all.
non SEM-bra af-FAT-to fa-CHEE-le
'Affatto' strengthens a negative; use it to emphasize that the appearance is clearly not what was expected.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The most common pattern is 'sembrare' + adjective or noun: 'Sembra difficile' (It seems difficult), 'Sembra una buona idea' (It seems a good idea). You can add an indirect object pronoun to say to whom it seems: 'Mi sembra giusto' (It seems right to me), 'Ti sembra normale?' (Does it seem normal to you?). With 'parere', the same structure works: 'Pare strano' (It appears strange), 'Ci pare ovvio' (It seems obvious to us). For 'look like', use 'assomigliare a': 'Maria assomiglia a sua madre' (Maria looks like her mother). Do not confuse this with 'piacere', which means 'to please' or 'to like'.
When to use it
Use these expressions when your statement is based on appearance, evidence, or impression, not on certain knowledge. For example, if you see dark clouds, you say 'Sembra che stia per piovere' (It seems it's about to rain). If you meet someone who reminds you of a celebrity, you say 'Assomigli a Brad Pitt' (You look like Brad Pitt). In contrast, general uncertainty uses words like 'forse' (maybe), 'magari' (perhaps), or 'non sono sicuro' (I'm not sure). Appearance verbs often introduce a subjective impression, so they frequently take the subjunctive in dependent clauses: 'Sembra che lui sia arrabbiato' (It seems he is angry).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ciao, hai visto il nuovo collega? Sembra molto giovane.
Hi, have you seen the new colleague? He seems very young.CHAO, eye VEE-sto eel NWO-vo kol-LEE-ga? SEM-bra MOL-to JOH-va-neSì, e assomiglia a mio cugino. Però pare un po' timido.
Yes, and he looks like my cousin. However, he appears a bit shy.see, e as-so-MEE-lya a MEE-o koo-JEE-no. pe-RO PA-re un po TEE-mee-doMi sembra strano che non parli mai. Forse è solo riservato.
It seems strange to me that he never speaks. Maybe he's just reserved.mee SEM-bra STRA-no ke non PAR-lee my. FOR-se e SO-lo ree-zer-VA-toPuò darsi. Comunque, non sembra affatto incompetente.
Maybe. Anyway, he doesn't seem incompetent at all.pwo DAR-see. ko-mun-KWE, non SEM-bra af-FAT-to in-kom-pe-TEN-teA little context goes a long way
In Italian, 'sembrare' and 'parere' are largely interchangeable, but 'parere' can sound slightly more formal or literary, especially in writing. In everyday speech, 'sembrare' is more common. 'Assomigliare' is used for physical or character resemblance and requires the preposition 'a'. Be careful with regional variation: in some southern dialects, 'parere' may be less frequent, while 'sembrare' dominates. Standard Italian uses both.
One thing to watch for
Using 'sembrare' with a direct object pronoun instead of an indirect one, e.g., 'Lo sembra strano'.
Try this instead: Use the indirect object pronoun: 'Gli sembra strano' (It seems strange to him). The verb 'sembrare' takes an indirect object because the impression happens 'to' someone. Example: 'Mi sembra giusto' (It seems right to me), not 'Lo sembra giusto' with a direct object.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Translate: 'It seems unlikely that he will come.'
Show a sample answer
Sembra improbabile che venga.
'Sembra improbabile' is followed by 'che' + subjunctive 'venga' because it expresses a subjective impression. 'Pare improbabile che venga' is also correct, slightly more formal.
2How do you say 'She looks like her sister'?
Show a sample answer
Assomiglia a sua sorella.
'Assomigliare a' requires the preposition 'a'. 'Sua sorella' means 'her sister'. You could also say 'Somiglia a sua sorella' in more literary style.
3What is the difference between 'sembra' and 'forse'?
Show a sample answer
'Sembra' expresses an impression based on appearance or evidence, while 'forse' expresses general uncertainty.
'Sembra' is used when you infer from what you see or know, e.g., 'Sembra stanco' (He seems tired). 'Forse' simply means 'maybe', e.g., 'Forse è stanco' (Maybe he is tired). Both can be valid in different contexts.
Use 'sembrare' and 'parere' for impressions and appearances, and 'assomigliare a' for resemblance. Remember the indirect object pronouns with 'sembrare' and the subjunctive after 'sembra che'.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Italian into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr