betrachten
/bəˈtʁaxtən/
To behold in German is translated as betrachten. Wiktionary also lists sehen and schauen.
Meaning: to see, to look at (verb)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| betrachten | /bəˈtʁaxtən/ |
| sehen | /ˈzeː.ən/ /zeːn/ (Germany) |
| schauen | /ˈʃaʊ̯ən/ |
| anschauen | /ˈʔanʃaʊ̯ən/ |
| ansehen | /ˈʔanˌzeːən/ /ˈanˌseːɛn/ |
Which one should you use?
While sehen is the most basic verb for the physical ability to see or the act of perceiving something with the eyes, the other forms imply a directed gaze. betrachten implies a more deliberate, prolonged or analytical way of looking at something compared to the simple act of seeing.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both anschauen and ansehen are separable verbs, which means the prefix an- moves to the end of a clause in simple present or simple past tense.
How do you pronounce it?
/bəˈtʁaxtən/
Did you know?
- The word betrachten is built from the prefix 'be-' and the word 'trachten', which relates to striving or aiming at something.
- The verb schauen is used more frequently in Southern Germany and Austria than in the North, where gucken is the more common colloquial term for 'looking'.
- While English uses 'behold' in a very poetic or biblical way, using betrachten in German describes a much more common, secular, and intellectual process of observation.
Examples in context
- Wie glücklich war ich doch als Sklave, denn da konnte ich meine Chloe sehen!How much happier I was as a slave, for then I could behold my Chloe!This sentence shows how to use sehen to express the act of beholding or seeing someone.Tatoeba #10075002 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6213460 by Hybrid
- Seht, wie schön das ist!Behold how beautiful that is!
- Schauen Sie sich diese wunderschöne Aussicht an!Behold this stunning view!
- Seht, wie der Mond am Himmel steht!Behold how the moon is in the sky!
- Wir betrachten die Kunstwerke im Museum.We are looking at the artworks in the museum.
- Bitte betrachten Sie die Details genau.Please look at the details closely.
Example conversation
Julian and Julia are standing in front of a large painting in an art gallery.
- JulianJulia, lass uns dieses Gemälde betrachten.Julia, let's look at this painting.
- JuliaEs ist wirklich wunderschön, Julian.It is truly beautiful, Julian.
- JulianDie Farben sind sehr intensiv.The colors are very intense.
- JuliaJa, man kann sie stundenlang betrachten.Yes, one can look at them for hours.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “behold” translations and entries betrachten, sehen, schauen, anschauen, ansehen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anschauen, betrachten, schauen, sehen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
