To express your impressions in Icelandic, use the middle-voice verb virðast (to seem).
When describing what someone or something seems to be doing, virðast is followed by an infinitive verb (like vera for "to be" or svífa for "to hover"). In this construction, the subject of the sentence takes the nominative case.
| to seem (general impression) | virðast |
| The picture seems to be still. | Myndin virðist vera kyrr. |
| Some birds seem to hover, but others fall. | Sumir fuglar virðast svífa en aðrir detta. |
Deceptive Appearances
You will frequently use this structure—especially the phrase virðast vera (seems to be)—when discussing visual tricks like an optical illusion (sjónblekkingin) or a mirage (hyllingin).
| The house seems to be crooked because of the optical illusion. | Húsið virðist vera skakkt vegna sjónblekkingarinnar. |
| The objects hover and the mirrors seem to deceive us. | Hlutirnir svífa og speglarnir virðast blekkja okkur. |
| The reflection of the island seems to be a mirage. | Endurskin eyjunnar virðist vera hylling. |
| The mirage seems to be just as real as reality. | Hyllingin virðist vera jafn raunveruleg og raunveruleikinn. |
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