apparence
/a.pa.ʁɑ̃s/
The English phrase appearance is translated into French as apparence.
apparence refers to a person's personal presence, form or look. You can also use the phrase en apparence to mean 'on the surface' or 'seemingly', often implying that the reality is different.
Meaning: personal presence, form or look (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /a.pa.ʁɑ̃s/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use apparence to refer to a scheduled appearance, such as a celebrity attending an event. In those cases, use présence or venue instead.
Did you know?
- In French legal contexts, a 'scheduled appearance' in court is not called apparence but is referred to as a comparution.
- The phrase faire bonne apparence is often used to describe the act of keeping up appearances or pretending everything is fine to avoid social embarrassment.
- The word apparence can be used to describe a ghost or a phantom in certain literary contexts, referring to a spectral 'manifestation'.
Examples in context
- Son apparence m'a trompé.His appearance deceived me.The first sentence is useful for showing how someone's appearance can be deceptive.Tatoeba #499558 by sacredceltic, translation #285783 by CM
- Son apparence m'a trompée.His appearance led me astray.The second sentence is useful for showing how someone's appearance can lead one astray.Tatoeba #499559 by sacredceltic, translation #5073593 by AlanF_US
- L'apparence n'est pas tout.Appearance isn't all.The third sentence is useful for expressing that appearance is not everything.Tatoeba #3228698 by sacredceltic, translation #4761221 by billt_estates
- L'apparence physique joue un rôle important dans notre sociétéPhysical appearance plays an important role in our society
- Sa physionomie reflète sa personnalité douceHis/her appearance reflects his/her gentle personality
- Elle a une frimousse qui fait craquer tout le mondeShe has a face that melts everyone's heart
- Sa trombine me rappelle quelqu'un que je connaisHis/her face reminds me of someone I know
- Ton look est vraiment branché !Your look is really trendy!
- 48 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are discussing a new colleague.
- EmmaQue penses-tu de son apparence ?What do you think of his appearance?
- HugoIl a une apparence très professionnelle.He has a very professional appearance.
- EmmaC'est vrai, il a l'air sérieux.That's true, he looks serious.
- HugoOui, son apparence est impeccable.Yes, his appearance is impeccable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “appearance” translations and entries apparence, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
