faszinieren
to fascinate
To exert a strong attraction on someone and arouse great interest or admiration.
EXAMPLE
Die Sterne haben die Menschen schon immer fasziniert.
The stars have always fascinated people.
faszinieren
to fascinate
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Meanings
Usage tips
Sentence structure: who fascinates whom?
With this verb, the thing or person that arouses the interest is the subject of the sentence. The person who is fascinated is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Die unendliche Weite des Universums fasziniert mich.
The infinite vastness of the universe fascinates me.
Describing a state
To express that one is fascinated, you can also use the construction 'fasziniert sein von' (to be fascinated by) + dative. Here, the person is the subject.
EXAMPLE
Ich bin von der alten Architektur fasziniert.
I am fascinated by the old architecture.
Word family
'Faszinieren' (to fascinate) is the base verb for the adjective 'faszinierend' (fascinating) and the noun 'die Faszination' (fascination). All three words describe a strong feeling of interest and attraction.
EXAMPLE
Dieses Thema fasziniert ihn so sehr, dass seine Faszination ansteckend ist.
This topic fascinates him so much that his fascination is contagious.
Typical subjects
Common subjects for the verb 'faszinieren' (to fascinate) are abstract concepts, fields of knowledge, or complex phenomena. Examples are 'die Natur' (nature), 'die Technik' (technology), 'die Kunst' (art), or 'die Geschichte' (history).
EXAMPLE
Schon als Kind hat ihn die Technik fasziniert.
Even as a child, technology fascinated him.
Compare with
faszinieren vs begeistern
to inspire / enthuse
Begeistern and faszinieren both describe a strong positive effect on people. Begeistern emphasizes joy, enthusiasm, or admiration, while faszinieren highlights an appealing quality that inspires wonder and draws someone in deeply. Use begeistern for lively approval, and faszinieren for something that particularly captivates someone’s attention.
faszinieren
Die ungewöhnlichen Instrumente faszinierten das Publikum, das ihnen lange aufmerksam zuhörte.
The unusual instruments fascinated the audience, who listened to them attentively for a long time.
begeistern
Das Konzert begeisterte das Publikum, und alle klatschten begeistert.
The concert thrilled the audience, and everyone applauded enthusiastically.
In real life
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