One tiny pronoun decides the mood of the next verb.
This is the real B2 lesson and it is beautifully logical. Il semble que, with no pronoun, is impersonal and uncertain, so it takes the subjunctive: « il semble qu’il soit parti ».
Add me and you are asserting your own impression, which is a claim — so it switches to the indicative: « il me semble qu’il est parti ». The pronoun turns doubt into opinion, and French marks that with the mood.
💡 Focus at this level: Subjunctive — with or without « me »
1. No pronoun = subjunctive. « Il semble que ce soit vrai. »
2. With pronoun = indicative. « Il me semble que c’est vrai. »
3. Negative flips it back. « Il ne me semble pas que ce soit vrai. »
Play the free French games → · Back to the full « sembler » chart →