ich schaue fern
To say "I watch TV" in German, you use ich schaue fern.
These phrases are used to express that you are viewing programs on a television set. You may also encounter the colloquial term Glotze when referring to the TV set itself.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is based on the separable verb fernsehen. The prefix fern- literally means "far" or "distant", which refers to the distance of the broadcast.
Which one should you use?
While ich schaue fern is a common way to express this, ich sehe fern is often considered more standard or frequent in many German dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb used is the separable verb fernsehen. In a simple main clause, the prefix fern- moves to the end of the sentence.
Did you know?
- The word Glotze for a TV set comes from the verb glotzen, which means to stare with wide eyes or gape.
- The word fern is used in other surprising compounds like Fernweh, which describes a longing for distant places.
- In German, watching TV is often called Zappen when you are quickly switching between channels.
Examples in context
- Ich schaue gern fern, um mich zu entspannen.I enjoy watching TV to relax.
- Am Abend nach der Arbeit sehe ich gerne fern.In the evening after work, I enjoy watching TV.
- Hey, hast du Lust, heute Abend gemeinsam fernzusehen?Hey, do you feel like watching TV together tonight?
- Sonntags gehöre ich zu den Leuten, die den ganzen Tag TV schauen.On Sundays, I'm one of those people who watch TV all day long.
- Ich schaue jeden Abend fern.I watch TV every evening.
- Ich schaue fern, wenn ich müde bin.I watch TV when I am tired.
Example conversation
Julian and Laura are talking about their evening plans.
- JulianWas machst du heute Abend, Laura?What are you doing tonight, Laura?
- LauraIch entspanne mich und ich schaue fern.I'm relaxing and I'm watching TV.
- JulianDas klingt gut. Willst du mit mir kommen?That sounds good. Do you want to come with me?
- LauraNein, ich bleibe hier und schaue fern.No, I'm staying here and watching TV.
