Inklingo

How to Say "they appeared" in Spanish

English → Spanish

aparecieron

/ah-pah-reh-syeh-rohn//apaɾeˈsjeɾon/

verbA2general
Use this when multiple people or things physically came into sight or were found.
A group of colorful birds suddenly flying out from behind a large green bush.

Examples

Los ladrones aparecieron de repente en la calle.

The thieves suddenly appeared in the street.

Los documentos aparecieron en el cajón.

The documents appeared in the drawer.

Ellos aparecieron de repente en la fiesta.

They showed up suddenly at the party.

Mis llaves nunca aparecieron.

My keys never turned up.

Breaking down 'Aparecieron'

This word is for the 'Done Past' (the preterite). Use it when a plural subject (like 'they' or 'my shoes') finished the act of appearing at a specific moment.

Is it one or many?

Mistake: “Using 'aparecieron' for a single thing, like 'El perro aparecieron'.”

Correction: For one thing, use 'apareció'. Use 'aparecieron' only for two or more things (The dogs appeared).

parecían

verbA2general
Use this when describing how something looked or seemed, referring to a past visual state or impression.

Examples

Sus ojos parecían dos esmeraldas brillantes.

His/Her eyes seemed like two shiny emeralds.

salieron

/sah-lee-EH-rohn//saˈljeɾon/

verbB1general
Use this when referring to how people or things turned out or were captured in a photo or film.
Two hands are proudly pulling a perfectly baked, golden loaf of bread from a simple oven opening, representing a successful outcome or result.

Examples

Las fotos salieron borrosas por la lluvia.

The photos turned out blurry because of the rain.

Los pasteles salieron perfectos del horno.

The cakes turned out perfect from the oven.

Ellas salieron en las noticias de la noche.

They appeared on the night news.

Todos los detalles del plan salieron a la luz.

All the details of the plan came to light.

Figurative Use

When talking about results or quality, 'salir' acts like 'to turn out.' For example, 'La comida salió deliciosa' (The food turned out delicious).

Confusing 'aparecieron' and 'parecían'

The most common mistake is using 'aparecieron' (physically appeared) when you mean 'parecían' (seemed or looked like). Remember, 'aparecieron' implies a change of state from not being seen to being seen, while 'parecían' describes a visual quality or impression.

Related Translations

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