sehen
to see
- sehen expresses the act of perceiving with the eyes.
- It is a strong verb: it undergoes vowel changes in different tenses.
Conjugation of sehen
| Person | Present | Simple Past | Past Participle | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | sehe | sah | gesehen | I see / saw / have seen |
| du | siehst | sahst | gesehen | you see / saw / have seen (sing. informal) |
| er/sie/es | sieht | sah | gesehen | he/she/it sees / saw / has seen |
| wir | sehen | sahen | gesehen | we see / saw / have seen |
| ihr | seht | saht | gesehen | you see / saw / have seen (pl. informal) |
| sie/Sie | sehen | sahen | gesehen | they/you see / saw / have seen |
- Notice the stem vowel changes: e → ie (present for du/er/sie/es), e → a (past).
Usage of sehen
- Sehen is used for literal visual perception:
Ich sehe den Film. (I am seeing the movie. / I watch the movie.)
Wir sehen die Sterne. (We see the stars.)
- Can be used metaphorically for understanding:
Ich sehe, was du meinst. (I see what you mean.)
- Often appears in separable or reflexive forms for specific meanings:
fernsehen (to watch TV), sich sehen (to see each other).
The simple past forms are 'ich sah' and 'wir sahen'.
'sehen' is a strong verb due to its stem vowel changes.
The verb shows 'siehst'/'sieht' for du/er/sie/es in the present tense.
Example Sentences
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ich sehe dich. | I see you. |
| Siehst du den Vogel? | Do you see the bird? |
| Er hat den Unfall gesehen. | He saw the accident. |
| Wir sehen morgen die Ausstellung. | We will see the exhibition tomorrow. |
The past participle of sehen is 'gesehen'.
'sehen' can be used metaphorically to mean 'understand' or 'get it'.
Conclusion
sehen is a vital German verb for expressing visual perception, with strong verb characteristics that German learners must master.
- Means “to see” and is used for literal and sometimes metaphorical seeing
- Is a strong verb with vowel changes: sehen / siehst / sah / gesehen
- Essential for daily communication and understanding vision-related expressions