apparently / seemingly
Loading your saved state.
apparently
Expresses that something looks or seems as if it were true, and one also assumes that it is. Synonymous with 'anscheinend' (apparently).
Die Straße ist nass, es hat scheinbar geregnet.
The street is wet; apparently it rained.
The word is made up of 'Schein' (appearance, semblance) and the ending '-bar' (-able). So literally, it means that something is only so according to appearances or appears that way.
Der scheinbare Erfolg der Firma war nur von kurzer Dauer.
The company's apparent success was only short-lived.
'Scheinbar' can mean two things: 1. It looks that way and probably is that way too. 2. It only looks that way, but is actually different. The context, often through words like 'aber' (but) or 'in Wirklichkeit' (in reality), makes clear whether it is an illusion.
Er ist heute nicht im Büro, er ist scheinbar krank.
He's not in the office today; apparently he's sick.
In everyday language, 'scheinbar' is usually used in the first meaning ('anscheinend', 'it looks like'). The second, more precise meaning ('only in appearance') is more often found in written language or formal contexts.
Die Sonne scheint, aber es ist scheinbar trotzdem kalt draußen.
The sun is shining, but apparently it's still cold outside.
'Scheinbar' can be used as an adverb to modify a verb or the whole sentence. But it can also stand directly before a noun as an adjective and is then declined.
Er hat scheinbar alles vergessen.
He has apparently forgotten everything.
really
'wirklich' and 'scheinbar' are often opposites. 'wirklich' says that something is actually the case. 'scheinbar' can say that something only looks that way, but is actually different. This is exactly why learners can confuse the words: both have to do with truth and impression, but 'wirklich' confirms, while 'scheinbar' shows doubt or a false impression. If you want to say for sure that something is real, use 'wirklich'. If you only mean the outward impression, 'scheinbar' fits.
Der Park war scheinbar leer, aber hinter den Bäumen spielten Kinder.
The park was seemingly empty, but children were playing behind the trees.
Der Fehler ist wirklich im Computerprogramm und nicht im Drucker.
The error is really in the computer program and not in the printer.