semblèrent

Semblèrent is a French verb, specifically the third-person plural past historic (passé simple) of the verb "sembler." The passé simple is a literary tense primarily used in written narratives to describe actions that happened and concluded in the past. In common usage, the passé composé is more frequently employed for past events.

"Sembler" itself means "to seem," "to appear," or "to look like." Therefore, "semblèrent" translates to "they seemed," "they appeared," or "they looked like." It is used to describe the perception or appearance of a group of people or things at a specific point in the past. For instance, in a story, one might read "Les enfants semblèrent surpris par le cadeau" (The children seemed surprised by the gift).

While the passé simple, and thus "semblèrent," is characteristic of formal writing, especially historical accounts, novels, and traditional fairy tales, it is rarely heard in everyday spoken French. Modern spoken French typically uses the passé composé, so the equivalent would be "ils ont semblé" or "ils semblaient" (imparfait, also used for ongoing or descriptive past actions). Understanding "semblèrent" is crucial for comprehending older French texts and appreciating the nuances of literary style.