In German
schauen
Meaning: to look
Formal or informal? “Schauen” means to look or watch. For “to look like”, use “aussehen”, and for “look at” as an instruction, “Schau mal” is common.
Example sentences
Schau mal, das ist mein Hund.
Look, that's my dog.
Schaust du den Film?
Are you watching the film?
Er schaut aus dem Fenster.
He looks out of the window.
Grammar note
Regular: ich schaue, du schaust, er schaut, wir schauen. The verb takes “auf” for an object of attention (auf ... schauen), or stands alone for looking.
Common mistake
Don't use “schauen” to mean how someone looks. That's “aussehen”: “Du siehst müde aus” (you look tired).
Quick check
Which form is correct for “he looks” (er)?
More words on this topic
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Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between “schauen” and “aussehen”?
“Schauen” is to look or watch, while “aussehen” means to look like or appear.
How do you say “look, …” informally?
“Schau mal …”.