Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| sehen | /ˈzeː.ən/ /zeːn/ (Germany) |
| anschauen | /ˈʔanʃaʊ̯ən/ |
While sehen refers to the general ability to see or the act of noticing something, anschauen is used when you are actively and intentionally directing your attention toward an object or a performance.
Which one should you use?
sehen is used for the physiological ability to see or for the general act of noticing something. In contrast, anschauen implies a more intentional, focused act of looking at or watching something.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In regions near the Alps, such as Bavaria or Austria, the term Alpenblick is used specifically to mean 'Alp view'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
sehen is an irregular strong verb. Its past tense is sah and its past participle is gesehen. anschauen is a separable verb, meaning that in a simple present tense sentence, the prefix an moves to the end of the clause, such as in Er sieht das Bild an. The past participle of anschauen is angeschaut.
How do you pronounce it?
{'ipa': '/ˈzeː.ən/', 'syllables': 2, 'stressed_syllable': '1 of 2'}
Did you know?
- A common German expression Mal sehen translates to 'let's see', but it is often used as a polite way to avoid giving a definite 'yes' or 'no' answer.
- Germans use the word Ausblick for a scenic 'view' from a height, but Einblick describes a mental 'insight' or 'view' into a private matter.
- The word sehen is used in many compound nouns to describe specialized ways of perceiving, such as Fernsehen for 'television', which literally means 'far-seeing'.
Examples in context
- Wie sehen Sie diese Angelegenheit?How do you view this matter?This sentence is useful for asking how someone perceives or views a specific matter using sehen.Tatoeba #454086 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #59461 by CM
- Versuche, das Problem aus ihrer Sicht zu sehen.Try to see the problem from her point of view.This sentence shows how to use sehen to express seeing a problem from a particular perspective.Tatoeba #12706862 by mayabe, translation #309853 by CK
- Sehen wir uns das Problem aus einem anderen Blickwinkel an!Let's look at the problem from a different point of view.This sentence demonstrates using sehen to describe looking at something from a different angle.Tatoeba #2367248 by Tamy, translation #43610 by CK
- Die Aussicht von diesem Berg ist atemberaubendThe view from this mountain is breathtaking
- Dieses Hotel bietet ein wunderschönes Panorama auf die StadtThis hotel offers a beautiful view of the city
- Von meinem Büro aus habe ich einen tollen Ausblick auf den ParkFrom my office, I have a great view of the park
- Der Blick von hier oben ist fantastischThe view from up here is fantastic
- Lasst uns zum Aussichtspunkt gehen, um die Aussicht zu genießenLet's go to the viewpoint to enjoy the view
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Laura are sitting on a balcony at night.
- JulianLaura, kannst du den Mond sehen?Laura, can you see the moon?
- LauraJa, ich sehe ihn sehr deutlich.Yes, I see it very clearly.
- JulianEs ist schön, ihn zu sehen.It is beautiful to see it.
- LauraJulian, ich sehe auch die Wolken.Julian, I see the clouds too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “view” translations and entries sehen, anschauen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
