kijken
/ˈkɛi̯kə(n)/
The English verb "look" is translated into Dutch as kijken.
kijken is used for the physical act of trying to see. If you want to say you are looking "at" something, you must use the preposition naar after the verb (e.g., kijken naar). There are several ways to use this concept depending on the context: Kijk is the most common and straightforward translation. Kijk eens is a friendly, colloquial way to draw attention to something interesting. Kijk even is used in daily conversation to ask someone to "take a look" at something. Let op is used to draw someone's focus and awareness to a specific thing. And Aanschouw is a more formal or poetic way to say "look" that carries a sense of admiration or contemplation.
Meaning: to try to see (verb)
Which one should you use?
While kijken refers to the physical act of looking, the word uiterlijk is used when referring to a person's physical appearance or "look". Related nouns include blik, which refers to the action of looking and uitzicht.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of kijken is keek, and the past participle is gekeken.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkɛi̯kə(n)/
Did you know?
- The noun blik can mean a 'look' or 'glance', but it is also the standard word for a 'tin can' or a 'can' of food.
- The word kijken descends from the Proto-Germanic word *kīkaną, making it a distant relative of the English word 'keek', an archaic past tense of 'look'.
- The formal aanschouw is so rare in daily speech that using it in a casual setting is often interpreted as a joke or a theatrical performance.
Examples in context
- Laat me even kijken.Let me take a look.This sentence is useful for practicing the verb kijken.Tatoeba #4516611 by Raizin, translation #249709 by CK
- Waar moet ik kijken?Where should I look?Tatoeba #9709227 by megamanenm, translation #9709226 by megamanenm
- Wij kijken niet weg.We don't look away.Tatoeba #12526823 by Tom9358, translation #12526821 by Tom9358
- Kijk naar de presentatieLook at the presentation
- Aanschouw de schoonheid van de natuurBehold the beauty of nature
- Let op de aanwijzingenPay attention to the instructions
- Kijk eens naar die vogelLook at that bird
- Bekijk deze foto's eensTake a look at these pictures
- Kijk even naar deze e-mailTake a quick look at this email
- Kijk naar de prachtige zonsondergang.Look at the beautiful sunset.
- Bekijk deze nieuwe film, het is echt de moeite waard.Take a look at this new movie, it's really worth it.
- Let op het verkeer wanneer je de straat oversteekt.Pay attention to the traffic when crossing the street.
- Kijk eens naar die schattige kittens!Look at those adorable kittens!
- Kijk even naar deze foto, ik ben er trots op.Take a quick look at this picture, I'm proud of it.
- Aanschouw de prachtige architectuur van dit gebouw.Behold the beautiful architecture of this building.
- 68 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Noah and Julia are looking for a book in a library.
- NoahZullen we hier eens kijken?Shall we look here?
- JuliaJa, ik zie het boek niet.Yes, I don't see the book.
- NoahKijken we ook in die kast?Are we looking in that cabinet too?
- JuliaGoede idee, Julia kijkt daar.Good idea, Julia will look there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “look” translations and entries kijken, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kijken, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
