01
der Blick
look
The act of seeing or the direction in which one is looking; the deliberate use of the eyes.
example
Sein Blick war starr auf den Bildschirm gerichtet.
His look was fixed on the screen.
der Blick
look / view
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
'Der Blick' belongs to the word family of the verb 'blicken', which means 'to look' or 'to see'. The noun describes the action or the result of this verb.
EXAMPLE
Er blickte aus dem Fenster.
He looked out the window.
Context clue
The verb helps distinguish the meaning. The expression 'einen Blick werfen' (to take a look) describes a brief action (seeing). The expression 'einen Blick haben' (to have a view) describes a state (view).
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mal einen Blick auf meinen Text werfen?
Can you take a look at my text?
Typical adjectives
When 'Blick' describes a view, it is often combined with positive adjectives such as 'fantastisch' (fantastic), 'herrlich' (magnificent), 'wunderschön' (beautiful), or 'atemberaubend' (breathtaking).
EXAMPLE
Vom Gipfel des Berges hatten wir eine atemberaubende Aussicht.
From the summit of the mountain, we had a breathtaking view.
Fixed expression
The expression 'einen Blick auf etwas werfen' (to take a look at something) is a very common and useful phrase. It means to look at or check something briefly.
EXAMPLE
Ich werfe nur schnell einen Blick in meine E-Mails.
I'll just quickly take a look at my emails.
Word order
The fixed expression 'auf den ersten Blick' (at first glance) functions like an adverb. If it appears at the beginning of the sentence, the verb follows in position two.
EXAMPLE
Auf den ersten Blick wirkte er sehr sympathisch.
At first glance, he seemed very likable.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'einen Blick für etwas haben' (to have an eye for something) means to have a special talent or feel for something. The thing one has a talent for comes after 'für' in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Als Innenarchitektin hat sie einen guten Blick für Farben und Formen.
As an interior designer, she has a good eye for colors and shapes.
Blick as expression
When 'Blick' means facial expression, it is often combined with an adjective that describes a feeling. Typical examples are 'ein besorgter Blick' (a worried look), 'ein leerer Blick' (a blank look), or 'ein fröhlicher Blick' (a cheerful look).
EXAMPLE
Mit einem skeptischen Blick las er den Brief.
He read the letter with a skeptical expression.
Compare with
Blick vs Auge
eye
'das Auge' and 'der Blick' are both connected to seeing, but they mean different things. The eye is the body part you see with. 'der Blick' is the way, direction, or brief action of looking. So you can use your eyes to take a look at something: 'einen Blick auf etwas werfen' (to take a look at something). Learners confuse the words because both often appear in sentences about seeing. The important point is: 'Auge' means the organ, while 'Blick' means looking or the expression on someone's face.
Blick
Herr Hofmann wirft einen kurzen Blick auf die Speisekarte.
Mr. Hofmann takes a quick look at the menu.
Auge
Nach dem Schwimmen tut mir das rechte Auge weh.
After swimming, my right eye hurts.
In real life
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