deuten
to interpret
To interpret or try to understand the meaning of something unclear or symbolic.
EXAMPLE
Die Wahrsagerin versuchte, die Linien auf seiner Hand zu deuten.
The fortune teller tried to interpret the lines on his hand.
deuten
to interpret / point
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
deuten auf
to point to
To be a sign of a certain development or situation; to indicate something.
EXAMPLE
Alle Anzeichen deuten auf einen Sieg der Heimmannschaft hin.
All the signs point to a victory for the home team.
deuten auf
to point at
To point with a finger or hand in a certain direction in order to draw attention to something.
EXAMPLE
Das Kind deutete auf das Eis in der Vitrine.
The child pointed at the ice cream in the display case.
Usage tips
Use with/without 'auf'
The structure of the sentence reveals the meaning. Without a preposition, 'deuten' always means 'to interpret'. With the preposition 'auf' (+ accusative), it means 'to point/show' or 'to indicate'.
EXAMPLE
Er versuchte, ihre Reaktion zu deuten.
He tried to interpret her reaction.
Context clue for 'deuten auf'
When 'deuten auf' is used, the subject helps distinguish the meaning. If the subject is a person actively showing something, the literal meaning 'to point/show' is meant. If the subject is a sign or fact, the figurative meaning 'to indicate' is meant.
EXAMPLE
Der Mann deutete auf die Uhr, um zu zeigen, dass es spät war.
The man pointed at the clock to show that it was late.
Typical objects
In the meaning 'to interpret', 'deuten' is often used with abstract or symbolic things. Typical objects are 'Träume' (dreams), 'Zeichen' (signs), 'Symbole' (symbols), or 'das Schweigen' (the silence).
EXAMPLE
Wie würden Sie das Schweigen des Ministers deuten?
How would you interpret the minister's silence?
Fixed sentence structure
A very common construction is 'alles deutet darauf hin, dass ...' (everything points to/indicates that ...). This sentence structure introduces a subordinate clause that expresses a conclusion or assumption.
EXAMPLE
Alles deutet darauf hin, dass das Projekt ein Erfolg wird.
Everything points to the project becoming a success.
Compare with
deuten vs zeigen
to show
Both words can refer to drawing attention to something with a hand gesture. Zeigen is more general and can also mean making something visible to someone or demonstrating it. Deuten emphasizes the direction of the finger or hand and is especially suitable when pointing to a specific spot.
deuten
Ich deutete mit dem Finger auf den Wegweiser zum Bahnhof.
I pointed with my finger at the signpost to the train station.
zeigen
Ich zeigte dem Besucher den Weg zum Bahnhof.
I showed the visitor the way to the train station.
In real life
Loading video examples...