sembrare Italian · revision 37530

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1250, Giacomino Pugliese|origins=la similis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /semˈbra.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sembrare''' (first-person singular present sémbro, first-person singular past historic sembrài, past participle sembràto, auxiliary èssere)^(Wiktionary)

+ The older form is ''sembiare'', and ''semblare'' is also found.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto 1968|400)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|pro|semblar]], from [[la-lat|similō|alt=similāre|t=to resemble]], a verb formed on [[la|similis|t=like, similar]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) The Occitan verb has kin in [[fr|sembler]], [[ca|semblar]] and [[ro|semăna]].^(REW 1935) Devoto explains the ⟨-br-⟩ as an assimilation of the /l/ to the following /r/, which kept the word from the regular Italian change of /bl/ to /bj/ seen in the older ⟨sembiare⟩.^(Devoto 1968|400) Wiktionary calls it more or less a doublet of [[somigliare]], the inherited outcome of the same Latin verb.^(Wiktionary)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The Latin adjective continues [[itc-pro|*semali-|t=alike, together]], which de Vaan derives from [[ine-pro|*smh₂-el-i-]]; it is related to [[grc|ὁμαλός|tr=homalós|t=even, level]] and [[cy|hafal|t=equal]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Giacomino Pugliese, before 1250, in the sense “to have the appearance or look of another person or thing”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) DEI dates it to the 13th century, in Guittone, in the sense “to resemble”.^(DEI|3447)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Early Italian also had the derivatives ''sembrabile'' (similar) and ''sembramento'' (likeness, and in the 14th century “opinion”).^(DEI|3447) In the modern language ''sembrare'' is a linking verb, often with a dative of the person who receives the impression (''mi sembra stanco''), and an impersonal verb, ''sembra che'', “it seems that”, which also gives a judgement or an opinion.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Exclamations such as ''sembra impossibile!'' and ''non mi sembra vero!'' express surprise, joy or disbelief, and ''sembra ieri'' marks surprise at how much time has passed.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1250 – Giacomino Pugliese uses ''sembrare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – Guittone uses it for “to resemble”.^(DEI|3447)

+ * 14th century – ''Sembramento'' is used for “opinion”.^(DEI|3447)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|seem]], to appear, to give the impression of being: ''il tuo amico sembra simpatico'', ''mi sembri preoccupato''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To look like, to [[m|en|resemble]]: ''con quel cappello sembri un pirata''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(impersonal)'' It seems, it appears likely: ''sembra che domani faccia freddo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''mi sembra'', I think, in my opinion: ''mi sembra meglio partire presto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sembiante]]

+ * [[sembianza]]

+ * [[somigliare]]

+ * [[simile]]

+ * [[pro|semblar]]

+ * [[la|similis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The verb takes ''essere'' as its auxiliary.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}