to see through / look through
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to see through
To recognize a person's true intentions or the true nature of something; to understand a deception or a complex situation. This verb is inseparable.
Sie ist so naiv, sie hat seinen Betrugsversuch nicht durchschaut.
She is so naive; she didn't see through his attempt at fraud.
This verb changes its meaning depending on whether it is separable. The inseparable form 'durchschauen' (to see through) has the figurative meaning 'to recognize an intention or lie'. The rare separable form 'durchschauen' (to look through) literally means 'to see through something'.
Ich habe seinen Plan sofort durchschaut.
I saw through his plan immediately.
As an inseparable verb, 'durchschauen' (to see through) always remains one whole word, even in the perfect tense. As a separable verb, the prefix 'durch' is placed at the end of the main clause.
Der Detektiv durchschaut den Trick.
The detective sees through the trick.
The inseparable form 'durchschauen' (to see through) is often used with abstract nouns that describe a deception or a complex plan. Typical phrases are: 'einen Trick durchschauen' (to see through a trick), 'eine Lüge durchschauen' (to see through a lie), or 'jemanden durchschauen' (to see through someone).
Lass dich nicht täuschen, ich habe ihre Absichten längst durchschaut.
Don't let yourself be fooled; I saw through her intentions long ago.
to understand
'verstehen' and 'durchschauen' both mean that you recognize or grasp something. 'verstehen' is the normal, general word: you understand an explanation, a situation, or even a person's feelings. 'durchschauen' fits better when something is not open or obvious: an excuse, a trick, a deception, or a person's true intentions. It sounds stronger than 'verstehen' because you are looking beneath the surface. If it is only about the meaning of a piece of information, 'verstehen' is more natural. If someone is trying to hide something or a matter is especially opaque, 'durchschauen' fits better.
Wir durchschauen seinen Plan, obwohl er ihn geheim halten wollte.
We see through his plan, even though he wanted to keep it secret.
Lisa versteht die Anleitung nicht, weil einige Schritte fehlen.
Lisa doesn't understand the instructions because some steps are missing.