videtur

Videtur is a Latin verb form meaning “it seems” or “it appears.” It is the third-person singular present passive indicative of video, videre, “to see.” Although literally “it is seen,” in idiomatic Latin it functions as an impersonal or perception-based expression, equivalent to English “it seems.”

Grammar and construction: Videtur is a present passive form, often considered an impersonal or introductory predicate. It can introduce a clause or be followed by a complement in various ways. Common constructions include:

- Hoc videtur verum. “This seems true.”

- Mihi videtur id verum esse. “To me, that seems true.”

- Videtur ei non esse verum. “It does not seem true to him.”

Videtur frequently governs a following infinitive or a clause with esse, as in hoc videtur esse verum. The imperfect and future tenses exist as vidēbātur, vidēbitur, etc., for past or future remote impressions.

Usage and nuance: Videtur conveys appearance, probability, or a provisional judgment rather than certainty. It is widely used in classical, medieval, and ecclesiastical Latin to hedge statements or to report what something appears to be. Compared with other verbs of opinion (putō, arbitror), vidētur emphasizes perceptual or subjective appearance rather than assertive belief.

See also: video, videre; Latin impersonal constructions; phrases such as mihi videtur.

In summary, videtur is a basic Latin device for expressing that something “appears” or “seems” true or correct, typically with a nuance of conjecture rather than claim.