blicken
to look
To consciously turn one's eyes in a particular direction in order to look at something; to gaze.
EXAMPLE
Sie blickte neugierig über die Schulter ihres Nachbarn.
She looked curiously over her neighbor's shoulder.
blicken
to look
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Meanings
blicken
to face
To have a particular view; to be oriented in a direction. Often used for windows, balconies, or buildings.
EXAMPLE
Unser Hotelzimmer blickt direkt auf den See.
Our hotel room faces directly onto the lake.
sich blicken lassen
to show up
To show oneself or appear at a place, especially after having been absent for a long time.
EXAMPLE
Er hat sich nach dem Streit erst nach Wochen wieder bei uns blicken lassen.
After the argument, he only showed up at our place again weeks later.
Usage tips
Register and style
The verb 'blicken' is often used in written language and can sound somewhat more formal or poetic. It describes a conscious and directed way of seeing.
EXAMPLE
Er blickte nachdenklich aus dem Fenster in den Regen.
He looked thoughtfully out the window into the rain.
Word family
'Blicken' is the verb belonging to the noun 'der Blick' (look/view). Both words describe the act of seeing or the view. If you know 'der Blick', you can easily figure out 'blicken'.
EXAMPLE
Ihr Blick war auf die offene Tür gerichtet.
Her gaze was directed at the open door.
Use with prepositions
'Blicken' is often combined with prepositions that indicate a direction. Typical phrases are 'auf etwas (Akk) blicken' (to look at something), 'in die Zukunft blicken' (to look into the future), or 'zurück blicken' (to look back).
EXAMPLE
Von diesem Berg blickt man weit über das Land.
From this mountain, you can look far out over the land.
Sentence structure: a place faces
In this meaning, the subject of the sentence is not a person, but a place such as a window, a balcony, or a room. It describes where the view from there goes.
EXAMPLE
Die Fenster unserer Wohnung blicken auf einen ruhigen Innenhof.
The windows of our apartment face a quiet courtyard.
Fixed expression
The reflexive expression 'sich blicken lassen' means to show up at a place, often after a longer absence. The expression is used as a whole.
EXAMPLE
Er hat versprochen, sich auf meiner Geburtstagsparty blicken zu lassen.
He promised to show up at my birthday party.
Compare with
blicken vs schauen
to look / watch
Schauen and blicken can both refer to consciously directing your eyes at something. Blicken places more emphasis on the direction or the deliberate gaze and can sound more elevated. Schauen has a broader range of uses and is often more suitable when ordinary looking is meant.
blicken
Lea blickt konzentriert in Richtung des Bahnhofs.
Lea looks intently toward the station.
schauen
Lea schaut kurz aus dem Fenster.
Lea looks briefly out the window.
In real life
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