Before you start
Meet zusehen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 2 meanings
- (intransitive) to watch [with dative ‘someone/something’]
- (intransitive) to watch out, to take care; to make sure, to see to it [with dass (+ clause) ‘that something happens’]
Build the meaning
zu- + sehen
- zu-
- directing attention toward something
- sehen
- to see
Direct your sight and attention toward something as it happens.
So zusehen means to watch; to observe.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: zu·sehen
In a main clause the prefix zu 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 sieht seinem Bruder beim Kochen zu.He watches his brother cook.
Subordinate clauseIch bleibe hier, weil ich dir zusehe.I’ll stay here because I’m watching you.
Participle: zugesehenzu-infinitive: zuzusehen
Forms
How zusehen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | sehe zu | sah zu |
| du | siehst zu | sahst zu |
| er/sie/es | sieht zu | sah zu |
| wir | sehen zu | sahen zu |
| ihr | seht zu | saht zu |
| Sie | sehen zu | sahen zu |
Partizip II zugesehen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich sehe den Kindern beim Spielen zu.I watch the children playing.watching someone do something
- 2Wir haben gestern beim Spiel zugesehen.We watched the game yesterday.Perfekt with haben
- 3Sie lächelt, wenn sie anderen zusieht.She smiles when she watches others.verb at the end after wenn
Verb family
More verbs built on sehen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.