"It looks like a turtle."

Translation: Det ser ut som en sköldpadda.

[Ninety-Six]

Maybe it is a turtle.

[erikpojke]

Or maybe is is a bear... sitting on an apple

[Bailjo]

I used liknar and it corrected me to ser ut som, and marked it as wrong.

[Anrui]

Even though this isn't all wrong, it is important to remember that "ser ut som" is a way more natural translation. "Liknar" has however been added now.

[Bailjo]

Thanks, it's just that through the course I thought liknar was more natural, but thanks for the correction.

[Anrui]

Well, I would actually say that they have different meanings.

If you say "ser ut som", it would imply that you spot something in the water that might be a turtle because it looks like one.

If you say "liknar", it would imply that you know that what you see isn't a turtle, but it looks like one.

[Bailjo]

Oh, OK that makes more sense.

[Uyterschout]

Thanks for the explanation, but (with due respect) without context it's impossible to say what's a more or less wrong, or natural translation.

[Anrui]

Of course! That's why both are accepted and that's also why we have this forum :)

[bigswedeej]

iow resemble?

[iBrow.]

Yeah, "liknar" would be like "resembles" in this context

[dcpetit]

What is the meaning or purpose of "ut"?

[iBrow.]

"Ser ut som" is just how you say "looks like" in Swedish. The "ut" itself doesn't really have a purpose, it's just a part of that phrase.

[bleeech]

kan vi säga "det är lik en sköldpadda"? varför är det fel? jag trodde att vi kan säga "han är lik sin mor" som "he looks like his mother"

[Julia570187]

I have no idea

[Rodrigowrok]

Would verkar som be possible in this case? Also marked as wrong

[degrasseme]

You could say "det verkar vara en sköldpadda", => "it seems to be a turtle", but that's not really the same thing.

[tomtwice]

Why did I automatically translate this as: Det ser som en sköldpadda ut.
Did I mix up a certain construction?

[iBrow.]

I don't really understand your question