to watch
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to watch
Colloquial for watching or looking on; to follow something with your eyes without intervening or participating yourself.
Statt nur zuzugucken, könntest du auch mit anpacken!
Instead of just watching, you could also lend a hand!
'Zugucken' (to watch) is a separable verb. The prefix 'zu-' comes at the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses, the verb stays together, and in the infinitive with 'zu', 'zu' comes between the prefix and the verb.
Ich gucke dir beim Kochen zu.
I am watching you cook.
'Zugucken' (to watch) is colloquial. The base verb 'gucken' (to look/watch) is also informal. In more formal situations, 'zusehen' or 'zuschauen' are more appropriate.
Komm, wir gucken dem Maler bei der Arbeit zu.
Come on, let's watch the painter at work.
When you watch a person or thing, that person or thing is in the dative. You can also use the preposition 'bei' to describe the activity you are watching.
Kann ich dir kurz zugucken?
Can I watch you for a moment?
to look at / to watch
Both words can mean following something as a spectator. „Ansehen“ is especially suitable for visual content or a planned performance, while „zugucken“ is colloquial and places more emphasis on observing an action without taking part yourself. Use „ansehen“ for something like a film and „zugucken“ for something like watching children play.
Die Eltern gucken den Kindern beim Spielen im Garten zu.
The parents watch the children playing in the garden.
Am Abend sehe ich mir den neuen Film im Fernsehen an.
In the evening, I watch the new film on television.
