נדמה לי ש־ / נראה לי ש־

Stating an Impression

Level 5

נדמה לי ש and נראה לי ש can mean it seems to me that or I think that. They present a claim as an impression or judgment.

How It Works

Present an Impression

נראה לי ש־ and נדמה לי ש־ introduce what seems to be true to the speaker. נראה לי שהחנות סגורה presents the shop’s being closed as an impression.

Name the Person

לי means to me in this expression. נראה לה שהוא בבית presents the impression as hers. The following ש-clause supplies the content of the impression.

Read the Clause After ש־

נדמה לי שאתה עייף gives a positive impression about tiredness. נדמה לי שהוא לא בבית gives an impression that includes a negative statement. Attach ש־ to the first word of that clause, as in שהחנות and שאתה.

Examples (4)

  1. נראה לי שהחנות סגורה.

    It seems to me that the shop is closed.

    נראה לי ש־ introduces the impression that the shop is closed.

  2. נדמה לי שאתה עייף.

    I think you are tired.

    The content clause addresses one male listener.

  3. נראה לה שהוא בבית.

    It seems to her that he is at home.

    לה identifies the person with the impression.

  4. נדמה לי שהוא לא בבית.

    I think he is not at home.

    The negation is inside the content clause.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

נדמה לי ש־ / נראה לי ש־Level 5Stating an Impression

Learn This First

Introduce a proposition as an impression attributed to an experiencer.