Ich sehe fern
The English phrase "I am watching tv" is translated into German as Ich sehe fern.
This phrase is used to state that someone is currently viewing programs on a television.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of "I see far/distantly", where fern means distant or far and sehen means to see.
Which one should you use?
While English uses the progressive aspect to show an action is happening right now, German does not have a continuous aspect. Therefore, Ich sehe fern can mean both "I watch TV" (a habit) and "I am watching TV" (a current action).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is based on the separable verb fernsehen. In a simple present tense construction, the prefix fern- moves to the end of the sentence.
Did you know?
- While Ich sehe fern refers to the act of watching programs, Germans use the phrase vor der Glotze hängen to describe idling in front of the TV.
- In Germany, the phrase fernsehen is often replaced in casual speech by zappen, which comes from the English word 'zap'.
- The word fern in Ich sehe fern shares a common ancestor with the English word 'far'.
Examples in context
- Ich sehe fern und entspanne mich.I am watching TV and relaxing.
- Ich kann fernsehen, während ich arbeite.I can watch TV while I work.
- Am Abend schaue ich fern.I watch TV in the evening.
- Anstatt fernzusehen, lese ich ein Buch.Instead of watching TV, I am reading a book.
- Ich schaue oft fern, aber manchmal spiele ich auch Videospiele.I often watch TV, but sometimes I also play video games.
- Ich bin gerade am Fernsehen.I am currently watching TV.
- Gestern habe ich ferngesehen.Yesterday, I watched TV.
Example conversation
Sarah calls Felix on the phone to ask what he is doing.
- SarahHallo Felix, was machst du gerade?Hello Felix, what are you doing right now?
- FelixIch sehe fern.I am watching TV.
- SarahWelche Sendung siehst du?Which program are you watching?
- FelixEinen spannenden Krimi.An exciting crime thriller.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ich, fern, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
