aparecer
/ah-pah-reh-SEHR/
to appear
The rabbit is starting to appear (aparecer) from behind the bush.
aparecer(verb)
to appear
?to come into sight
,to show up
?to arrive unexpectedly or finally
to emerge
?to come out of something
📝 In Action
De repente, un perro apareció en la calle.
A1Suddenly, a dog appeared in the street.
Ella siempre aparece tarde a las reuniones.
A2She always shows up late to the meetings.
El sol aparece detrás de las montañas al amanecer.
B1The sun appears behind the mountains at dawn.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Yo' Form ZC Change
The 'c' in the stem changes to 'zc' only in the 'yo' form of the present tense ('aparezco') and throughout the present subjunctive. This is common for many -ecer verbs!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the ZC
Mistake: "Yo apareco (Incorrect)"
Correction: Yo aparezco (Correct). Remember that 'zc' sound is needed to connect the verb back to its root.
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on the Action, Not the Subject
Unlike some English phrases, 'aparecer' focuses on the action of coming into sight. It's often used impersonally: 'Apareció un problema' (A problem appeared).
After searching everywhere, the lost teddy bear finally turned up (aparecer).
aparecer(verb)
to turn up
?to be found (after being lost)
to resurface
?of information or a person
📝 In Action
¿Viste mis llaves? ¡Por fin aparecieron!
B1Did you see my keys? They finally turned up!
Después de muchos años, el manuscrito original apareció en una subasta.
B2After many years, the original manuscript surfaced at an auction.
💡 Grammar Points
Passive Meaning
When used for lost objects, 'aparecer' often implies 'being found' without needing a separate structure like 'ser encontrado'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Talking about the Past
Use the Preterite tense (apareció, aparecieron) when describing the moment a lost thing was finally recovered.
The red apple will feature (aparecer) prominently in the fruit basket display.
aparecer(verb)
to feature
?to be included in a list, movie, or report
to be published
?of a story or article
,to appear (in court)
?formal presence
📝 In Action
Su nombre no aparece en la lista de invitados.
B2Her name does not feature (or appear) on the guest list.
El acusado debe aparecer ante el juez mañana por la mañana.
C1The defendant must appear before the judge tomorrow morning.
El artículo sobre el cambio climático apareció en todos los periódicos.
B2The article about climate change was published in all the newspapers.
💡 Grammar Points
Use with Preposition 'En'
When 'aparecer' means 'to be listed' or 'to feature,' it almost always uses the preposition 'en' (in/on): Aparecer en el periódico, aparecer en la foto.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: aparecer
Question 1 of 2
Which form of 'aparecer' is used when talking about wishing something would show up?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'aparecer' change from 'c' to 'zc' in some forms?
This change (c to zc) is a sound rule in Spanish that keeps the original 's' sound of the verb's root consistent before the 'o' (yo) and 'a' (subjunctive) endings. It's a pattern shared by many verbs ending in -ecer, -ocer, and -ucir.
Is 'aparecer' reflexive, like 'to show oneself'?
No, 'aparecer' is generally used non-reflexively. If you want to say 'to show up' in the sense of presenting oneself formally, you might use 'presentarse' instead.