sehen
/ˈzeː.ən/
To see in German is sehen. Wiktionary also lists schauen and sengan.
Meaning: perceive with the eyes (verb)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sehen | /ˈzeː.ən/ /zeːn/ (Germany) |
|
| schauen | /ˈʃaʊ̯ən/ | |
| sengan | ||
| gseh | Alemannic German |
The verb is used to describe the act of perceiving something with the eyes. A related phrase is Einen Blick werfen auf, which means to take a look at.
Which one should you use?
While sehen means to perceive with the eyes, schauen is often used to mean 'to look' or 'to watch'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form gseh is used in Alemannic German dialects.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The third person singular present form of sehen is sieht. The simple past tense of sehen is sah, and the past participle is gesehen.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈzeː.ən/.
Did you know?
- The verb schauen is a direct linguistic relative of the English word 'show'. They both share a root that means to look at or examine something.
- German has a specific phrase Fernsehen, which uses the root for 'see' to mean 'television'.
- In many German dialects, the word schauen is used as a filler or a way to say 'let's see' when thinking, similar to the English 'let's see'.
Examples in context
- Ich will es sehen.I want to see it.This sentence uses sehen to express a desire to see something.Tatoeba #1888454 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1883058 by Spamster
- Kann er uns sehen?Can he see us?This sentence uses sehen to ask about the ability to see someone.Tatoeba #3107778 by Manfredo, translation #1887051 by Spamster
- Du musst es sehen.You've got to see it.This sentence uses sehen to express necessity regarding seeing something.Tatoeba #3741696 by Esperantostern, translation #8723210 by deniko
- Ich sehe regelmäßig Nachrichten.I watch the news regularly.
- Ich möchte mir den Film anschauen.I want to watch the movie.
- Wir schauen uns das Theaterstück an.We are going to see the play.
- Lass uns einen Film gucken!Let's watch a movie!
- Ich habe gestern eine neue Serie geguckt.Yesterday, I watched a new series.
- Komm, lass uns das Fußballspiel schauen.Come on, let's watch the soccer match.
- Wir hatten einen wunderschönen Blick auf das Meer.We had a beautiful view of the sea.
- Kannst du bitte einen Blick auf meinen Laptop werfen?Can you please have a look at my laptop?
- 2680 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Julia are standing on a balcony looking at the city.
- FelixKannst du das helle Licht dort sehen?Can you see that bright light there?
- JuliaJa, ich sehe es jetzt.Yes, I see it now.
- FelixDas ist wirklich sehr schön.That is really very beautiful.
- JuliaIch kann es auch gut sehen.I can see it well too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “see” translations and entries sehen, schauen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries schauen, sehen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
