Before you start
Meet anschauen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Meaning
- (transitive) to look at; to behold; to observe (visually); to view
Build the meaning
an- + schauen
- an-
- toward or focused on a target
- schauen
- to look
You direct your looking toward something and keep your attention on it.
So anschauen means to look at; to watch.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: an·schauen
In a main clause the prefix an splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseEr schaut die Nachrichten an.He watches the news.
Subordinate clauseIch bleibe hier, weil ich mir das Spiel anschaue.I’m staying here because I’m watching the game.
Participle: angeschautzu-infinitive: anzuschauen
Forms
How anschauen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | schaue an | schaute an |
| du | schaust an | schautest an |
| er/sie/es | schaut an | schaute an |
| wir | schauen an | schauten an |
| ihr | schaut an | schautet an |
| Sie | schauen an | schauten an |
Partizip II angeschaut · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich schaue heute einen Film an.I’m watching a movie today.prefix goes to the end
- 2Wir haben gestern das Bild angeschaut.We looked at the picture yesterday.Perfekt with haben
- 3Sie schaut das Foto an, weil es schön ist.She looks at the photo because it is beautiful.verb at the end after weil