How do you say "It seems off." in French?

"It seems off." in French is "Il semble arrêté.". This phrase is commonly used in France.

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How to Say ‘It seems off.’ in French

Q: What does "Il semble arrêté." mean in English?

"Il semble arrêté." means "It seems off." in English. Usage tip: [Il semble arrêté] literally means "It seems stopped." French often uses [il semble + adjective/past form] for a cautious guess, like [Il semble cassé] — "It seems broken."

Il semble arrêté.

eel sahmbl ah-reh-tay

[eel sahmbl ah-reh-tay]

💬 Usage Tip: [Il semble arrêté] literally means "It seems stopped." French often uses [il semble + adjective/past form] for a cautious guess, like [Il semble cassé] — "It seems broken."

Phrase Breakdown

[eel]

Here il refers to a device or system, meaning 'it'.

Example

Il ne répond plus quand on l'allume.

It no longer responds when turned on.

semble

[sahmbl]

seems

Used to give an impression rather than a certainty.

Example

Le moteur semble silencieux d'un coup.

The motor suddenly seems quiet.

arrêté

[ah-reh-tay]

stopped

Means no longer moving, running, or working.

Example

L'appareil paraît arrêté depuis hier.

The appliance appears stopped since yesterday.

Guides for French learners

The Best App to Learn French: An Honest ComparisonDuolingo, Babbel, Pimsleur, Busuu, italki and PrettyFluent compared for learning French: what each is best at, how you pay, and which fits your goal.French Conversation for Beginners: 5 Everyday Dialogues You'll Actually UseFive short French conversations for beginners, from greeting a neighbour to booking a restaurant, with translations, native audio and the phrases that keep them going.

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