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
der Blick
view
The view that you have from a particular point.
EXAMPLE
Von unserem Hotelzimmer hatten wir einen fantastischen Blick auf das Meer.
From our hotel room, we had a fantastic view of the sea.
der Blick
glance
A brief, fleeting look.
EXAMPLE
Ein kurzer Blick auf die Uhr verriet ihm, dass es schon spät war.
A quick glance at the clock told him that it was already late.
auf den ersten Blick
at first glance
Upon first, superficial viewing or getting to know something or someone.
EXAMPLE
Auf den ersten Blick schien die Wohnung perfekt zu sein.
At first glance, the apartment seemed to be perfect.
einen Blick für etwas haben
to have an eye for something
To have the ability to recognize, assess, or judge a particular thing well.
EXAMPLE
Als Fotografin hat sie einen besonderen Blick für interessante Motive.
As a photographer, she has a special eye for interesting subjects.
der Blick
expression
The facial expression that reveals a particular emotion or mood.
EXAMPLE
Sie hatte einen besorgten Blick, als sie die Nachrichten hörte.
She had a worried expression when she heard the news.
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 Sicht
view / visibility
„Der Blick“ refers here to the specific view of a target. „Die Sicht“, by contrast, emphasizes whether the target can be seen clearly at all because of distance, weather, or obstacles. That is why, for example, one speaks of a beautiful Blick but clear or poor Sicht.
Blick
Vom Balkon haben wir einen schönen Blick auf den See.
From the balcony, we have a beautiful view of the lake.
Sicht
Vom Balkon haben wir trotz des Nebels schlechte Sicht auf den See.
Despite the fog, we have poor visibility of the lake from the balcony.
In real life
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