Meaning
To view a television series or streaming show.
Cultural Background
The 'Tatort' phenomenon: Every Sunday at 20:15, millions watch this crime series. It's a national ritual. Austrians strictly prefer 'schauen' over 'gucken'. Using 'gucken' might mark you as a tourist from the North. In Swiss German, 'luege' is used instead of 'schauen'. German series like 'Dark' have changed how Germans view their own media, moving from 'trashy soaps' to 'high-quality series'.
Regional Choice
Use 'gucken' in Berlin and 'schauen' in Munich to sound like a local.
False Friend
Don't use 'wachen' for 'watch'. It means 'to guard'.
Meaning
To view a television series or streaming show.
Regional Choice
Use 'gucken' in Berlin and 'schauen' in Munich to sound like a local.
False Friend
Don't use 'wachen' for 'watch'. It means 'to guard'.
Tatort
If someone asks if you 'Tatort schaust', they are asking about a specific German tradition.
Learning Hack
Watch German series with German subtitles to improve your listening skills faster.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of 'schauen' in the present tense.
Ich _____ heute Abend {eine|f} Serie.
The subject is 'Ich', so the verb ending must be '-e'.
Which sentence is correct?
Pick the right article for 'Serie'.
'Serie' is feminine, so the accusative article is '{eine|f}'.
Match the German word to its English meaning.
Vocabulary check.
These are key terms used when talking about series.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Was hast du gestern gemacht? B: Ich habe {die|f} ganze ______ geschaut.
You 'watch' a series, and the context of 'ganze' (whole) fits a series perfectly.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesIch _____ heute Abend {eine|f} Serie.
The subject is 'Ich', so the verb ending must be '-e'.
Pick the right article for 'Serie'.
'Serie' is feminine, so the accusative article is '{eine|f}'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are key terms used when talking about series.
A: Was hast du gestern gemacht? B: Ich habe {die|f} ganze ______ geschaut.
You 'watch' a series, and the context of 'ganze' (whole) fits a series perfectly.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsThey mean the same thing, but 'gucken' is more common in Northern Germany and slightly more informal, while 'schauen' is standard in the South and in formal writing.
Yes, it is grammatically correct, but 'schauen' sounds more active and natural for watching a show.
It is feminine: {die|f} Serie.
You can say 'eine Serie durchschauen' or 'einen Serien-Marathon machen'.
No, 'schauen' takes a direct object in the accusative case: 'Ich schaue {eine|f} Serie'.
Yes, 'einen Film schauen' is perfectly normal.
It means 'to look at' or 'to watch' and often implies a more focused or complete action.
Yes, it follows the standard pattern: schaue, schaust, schaut, geschaut.
This is a shortened version of 'Fernsehen schauen', common in casual speech.
It stands for 'Original mit Untertiteln' (Original with subtitles), often mentioned when discussing how to watch a series.
Related Phrases
einen Film schauen
similarTo watch a movie
fernsehen
similarTo watch TV
Binge-Watching machen
specialized formTo binge-watch
ins {das|n} Kino gehen
contrastTo go to the cinema
eine Folge verpassen
builds onTo miss an episode
