All verbs

/sɑ̃ble/to seemA2

Family
Group 1 — regular `-er`
Takes
an adjective · an infinitive · que + clause — Followed by an adjective, an infinitive, or que + clause

Build map — what to memorise

These three pieces are learnt; every other tense is built from them.

The nous form
semblons
Presentprésentfollows the rule

Singular — the short stem

sembl-+-e -es -e

Presentprésentfollows the rule

Plural — the nous stem

sembl-+-ons -ez -ent

Imperfectimparfaitfollows the rule

sembl-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Present participleparticipe-présentfollows the rule

sembl-+-ant

Subjunctivesubjonctif-présentfollows the rule

Built on ils; nous and vous are the imparfait forms

sembl-+-e -es -e -ent

Infinitive
sembler
Simple futurefutur-simplefollows the rule

sembler-+-ai -as -a -ons -ez -ont

Conditionalconditionnel-présentfollows the rule

Futur stem + imparfait endings

sembler-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Near futurefutur-prochefollows the rule

aller + infinitive

sembler

Past participle
semblé

Takes avoir

Passé composépassé-composéfollows the rule

avoir (present) + past participle

semblé

Pluperfectplus-que-parfaitfollows the rule

Auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle

semblé

Conjugation

présent
Ije semble/ʒə sɑ̃bl/I seem
youtu sembles/ty sɑ̃bl/you seem
he/sheil semble/il sɑ̃bl/he seems
wenous semblons/nu sɑ̃blɔ̃/we seem
youvous semblez/vu sɑ̃ble/you seem
theyils semblent/il sɑ̃bl/they seem

Examples

  • Tu sembles fatigué.

    /ty sɑ̃bl fa.ti.ɡe/

    You seem tired.

  • Il me semble que c'est vrai.

    /il mə sɑ̃bl kə sɛ vʁɛ/

    It seems to me that it's true.

  • Il semble qu'il vienne.

    /il sɑ̃bl kil vjɛn/

    It seems he's coming.

Set phrases

  • il me semble que

    it seems to me that

Notes

  • Il me semble que… is a soft way to state an opinion — "it seems to me" — and takes the indicative. See exprimer-opinion.

  • Bare Il semble que takes the subjunctive. Adding the pronoun (Il me semble que) switches it to the indicative, because you are now asserting it.