Before you start
Meet aussehen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
aus- + sehen
- aus-
- outward, as something presented to view
- sehen
- to see
How someone or something “looks” is how it appears when viewed.
So aussehen means to look; to appear.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Verb family
More verbs built on sehen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
Separable verb: aus·sehen
In a main clause the prefix aus splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseDer Hund sieht freundlich aus.The dog looks friendly.
Subordinate clause…, weil der Hund freundlich aussieht.…, because the dog looks friendly.
Participle: ausgesehenzu-infinitive: auszusehen
Forms
How aussehen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | sehe aus | sah aus |
| du | siehst aus | sahst aus |
| er/sie/es | sieht aus | sah aus |
| wir | sehen aus | sahen aus |
| ihr | seht aus | saht aus |
| Sie | sehen aus | sahen aus |
Partizip II ausgesehen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Du siehst heute müde aus.You look tired today.present tense, prefix at end
- 2Das Haus hat schön ausgesehen.The house looked beautiful.Perfekt with haben
- 3Ich weiß, wie das Essen aussieht.I know what the food looks like.verb at the end
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
aussehen + der neue Mantel
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Include der neue Mantel.
- 3Say how the coat looks.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
It looked reallywirklich good in the shopder Laden.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When she saw the roomdas Zimmer, it looked muchviel biggergroß.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The fooddas Essen looks strangekomisch because it was in the fridgeder Kühlschrank all dayden ganzen Tag.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I know a womandie Frau who looks like my auntdie Tante.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
You must look tiredmüde after workdie Arbeit.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She triesversuchen to look happyglücklich in every photodas Foto.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
How does your new teacherder Lehrer look?
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 9 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
aussehen + die Kinder + dass
Your challenge
- 1Use a dass-clause.
- 2Put the target verb at the end of that clause.
- 3Say that the children look tired today.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
What do you look like after a long day? Answer in one German sentence using aussehen.
Your challenge
- 1Answer in one sentence using the present tense.
- 2Say how you look after a long day.