eye contact
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eye contact
The state in which two people's gazes meet and they look each other in the eyes.
Während des Vorstellungsgesprächs ist ein sicherer Blickkontakt wichtig.
During a job interview, confident eye contact is important.
'Blickkontakt' (eye contact) is a compound noun made up of 'der Blick' (look/gaze) and 'der Kontakt' (contact). So it literally describes contact established through looks.
Ein direkter Blick kann einen Kontakt zwischen zwei Menschen herstellen.
A direct look can establish contact between two people.
'Blickkontakt' (eye contact) is often combined with a small group of verbs that describe a process: 'aufnehmen' or 'herstellen' (to establish/begin), 'halten' (to maintain), and 'vermeiden' (to avoid).
Er versuchte, mit der Rednerin Blickkontakt aufzunehmen.
He tried to make eye contact with the speaker.
To name the person with whom you have eye contact, German typically uses the preposition 'zu' followed by the dative.
Es fiel ihm schwer, Blickkontakt zu seinem Chef zu halten.
He found it difficult to maintain eye contact with his boss.
look / view
'der Blick' and 'der Blickkontakt' both have to do with seeing and eyes, but they do not mean the same thing. 'der Blick' can come from one person: you look in a direction or look at someone briefly. 'der Blickkontakt' only happens when two people look at each other and their eyes meet. Learners may confuse the words because both contain 'Blick'. Remember: a look can be one-sided; eye contact always needs at least two people.
Beim Gespräch hält der Gast Blickkontakt, damit er freundlich wirkt.
During the conversation, the guest maintains eye contact so that he seems friendly.
Im Supermarkt fiel mein Blick auf die frischen Erdbeeren.
In the supermarket, my eye fell on the fresh strawberries.