Question
Updated on
21 Mar 2015
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German
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Spanish (Spain)
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French (France)
Question about German
What is the difference between beobachten and schauen ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
What is the difference between beobachten and schauen ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
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- German
"Schauen" is mostly used to "check something out", to enjoy something (the sun rising for example) or to just get informations you need or want (read signs, look at stores) while "beobachten" imples (mostly) the interest in whatching something "happen", like "Autos beobachten", watching how the cars drive by. If i had to explain this really easy, i'd say: "Schauen" is to look at something when you are interested in the object itself while "Beobachten" is to look at something when you're not really interested in the object, but what the object *does*.
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- German
"Ich schaute mir die Attraktionen auf dem Fest an. Dort beobachtete ich einen Clown, der vergeblich versuchte die Kinder zum Lachen zu bringen."
*I was checking out the attractions at the festival. (general expression, just looking at/checking out, no special focus on something too specific at the festival itself).
There I sighted and watched a clown who unsuccessfully tried to make kids laugh. (specially focussing on something, like an object/event)
"Ich schaute auf das Meer, und konnte dort ein Schiff beobachten, das auf mich zusteuerte."
*I was looking at the sea (just looking) and sighted and watched (now focussing on something, in this case-->) a ship steering directly into my direction.
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