01
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
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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 sehen
to see
'sehen' and 'blicken' both have to do with the eyes. 'sehen' generally means that you perceive something with your eyes. 'blicken' puts more emphasis on the direction or the deliberate movement of the eyes. For example, you can 'aus dem Fenster blicken' (look out the window), 'auf die Uhr blicken' (look at the clock/watch), or 'zu einer Person blicken' (look toward a person). Learners may confuse the words because both are often related to 'schauen' (to look). As a simple guideline: 'sehen' describes more what you perceive; 'blicken' describes more where you are looking.
blicken
Vor dem Gespräch blickt Tom kurz auf seine Notizen.
Before the conversation, Tom briefly looks at his notes.
sehen
Ich sehe den Bus schon an der Ecke.
I can already see the bus at the corner.
In real life
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