sehen
to see (perceive with eyes) · to look (appear, seem) · to meet (someone) · to check (on something)
sehen means 'to see' in the sense of perceiving with your eyes. It is also used for meeting someone, watching something, or checking on something. Germans use it in many fixed phrases like 'Wir sehen uns' (see you) or 'das sieht gut aus' (that looks good).
What sehen means
- to see (perceive with eyes) — the basic meaning of visual perception
- to look (appear, seem) — used with an adjective or 'wie' to describe appearance
- to meet (someone) — used reflexively 'sich sehen' to mean meeting each other
- to check (on something) — used with 'nach' to mean looking after or checking
Heard in real German videos
Lines where sehen was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Die sehen alle gleich aus.They all look the same.
- Das sieht wie Essen aus.That looks like food.
Example sentences
- Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
- Das sieht gut aus.That looks good.
- Wir sehen uns morgen.We'll see each other tomorrow.
- Kannst du nach den Kindern sehen?Can you check on the children?
Grammar
| Present (ich/du/er) | sehe / siehst / sieht |
|---|---|
| Simple past | sah |
| Perfect | hat gesehen |
| Separable | no |
| Case it takes | accusative (direct object) |
The du-form is 'siehst' and the imperative is 'sieh' (or 'siehe' in formal contexts).
Common phrases
- sich sehen lassento show up, make an appearance
- sehen nachto check on, look after
- gut aussehento look good
- wiedersehento see again
The mistake English speakers make
English speakers often confuse 'sehen' with 'schauen' or 'gucken'. 'Sehen' is the general verb for seeing, while 'schauen' and 'gucken' are more colloquial and often imply actively watching. Use 'sehen' when in doubt.
Don’t confuse it with
- schauen — Schauen is more regional (southern Germany, Austria) and often means 'to watch' or 'to look' actively, while sehen is more general.
- gucken — Gucken is very colloquial and means 'to look' or 'to watch', often used in spoken German, but sehen is more neutral and standard.
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between 'sehen' and 'schauen'?
'Sehen' is the general verb for seeing, while 'schauen' often implies a more deliberate act of looking or watching. 'Schauen' is also more common in southern Germany and Austria.
How do you conjugate 'sehen' in the present tense?
ich sehe, du siehst, er/sie/es sieht, wir sehen, ihr seht, sie sehen. Note the vowel change from e to ie in the du and er/sie/es forms.
What does 'sich sehen lassen' mean?
It means 'to show up' or 'to make an appearance', often used when someone hasn't been seen for a while or is expected to appear.