ansehen
to look at
To direct one's gaze at someone or something; to look at.
EXAMPLE
Sieh mich bitte an, wenn ich mit dir rede.
Please look at me when I'm talking to you.
ansehen
to look at / to watch
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
sich etwas ansehen
to watch
To watch something as a spectator, for example a film, a play, or a sporting event.
EXAMPLE
Wollen wir uns am Wochenende den neuen James-Bond-Film im Kino ansehen?
Do we want to watch the new James Bond film at the cinema this weekend?
ansehen als
to regard as
To judge or view someone or something in a particular way; to consider someone or something to be something.
EXAMPLE
Ich sehe ihn als einen meiner engsten Vertrauten an.
I regard him as one of my closest confidants.
man sieht es jemandem/etwas an
to be able to tell
To be able to recognize a particular state or quality from the appearance or behavior of a person or thing.
EXAMPLE
Man sieht dir an, dass du die ganze Nacht nicht geschlafen hast.
I can tell from looking at you that you didn't sleep all night.
sich etwas ansehen
to look at
To visit or inspect a place in order to get to know it or check it.
EXAMPLE
Bevor wir die Wohnung mieten, wollen wir sie uns natürlich genau ansehen.
Before we rent the apartment, we naturally want to look at it carefully.
das Ansehen
reputation
The good reputation, respect, or prestige that a person or institution enjoys in society.
EXAMPLE
Durch den Skandal hat der Politiker viel von seinem Ansehen verloren.
Because of the scandal, the politician lost much of his reputation.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Ansehen' (to look at / to watch) is a separable verb with the prefix 'an-'. In main clauses, 'an' goes at the end, while in subordinate clauses it remains attached to the verb. In the infinitive with 'zu', 'zu' comes in the middle.
EXAMPLE
Sieh dir dieses Bild an!
Look at this picture!
Reflexive or not?
The non-reflexive form 'jemanden ansehen' (to look at someone) means to direct one's gaze at someone. The reflexive form 'sich etwas ansehen' (to look at/watch something) means to look at something more closely, inspect it, or consume it as a spectator.
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt sah den Patienten besorgt an.
The doctor looked at the patient with concern.
Use with 'als'
The construction 'jemanden/etwas als ... ansehen' (to regard someone/something as ...) is used to express an opinion or judgment. What someone is considered to be is also in the accusative after 'als'.
EXAMPLE
Viele sehen diese Entscheidung als einen großen Fehler an.
Many regard this decision as a big mistake.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'man sieht es jemandem an' (you can tell from looking at someone) means that a person's appearance reveals their feelings or state. The person in question is in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Man sah ihm die Erleichterung deutlich an.
You could clearly see his relief.
Sentence structure: reflexive
In the reflexive form 'sich etwas ansehen' (to look at/watch something), the person looking at something appears as a reflexive pronoun in the dative ('sich'), and the thing being looked at is in the accusative. This applies both to watching films and to viewing places.
EXAMPLE
Ich sehe mir heute Abend einen Krimi an.
I'm watching a crime thriller this evening.
Word family: the noun
Careful: 'das Ansehen' (reputation/prestige) is a noun and means 'reputation' or 'prestige'. It is always capitalized and has a completely different meaning from the verb 'ansehen' (to look at / to watch).
EXAMPLE
Der Professor genießt weltweit hohes Ansehen.
The professor enjoys a high reputation worldwide.
Compare with
NamegeltenschauenbetrachtenRufEhrebeobachtenguckenbeurteilenImagezusehenRuhmeinsehenzuschauenanguckenGeltungbesichtigenanmerkenPrestigeerachtenhinsehenmusternhinschauenreinschauenbegutachtenJuicezugucken
ansehen vs Name
name
Der Name can refer to the established public reputation of a person or company and usually has a positive sound. Das Ansehen more directly describes how much respect or social esteem someone enjoys. Ansehen is therefore more suitable when referring to the degree of that esteem.
ansehen
Die Firma genießt wegen ihrer hohen Qualität großes Ansehen.
The company enjoys great respect because of its high quality.
Name
Die Firma hat sich mit ihrer hohen Qualität einen guten Namen gemacht.
The company has built a good name for itself through its high quality.
In real life
Loading video examples...