The Difference between schaut, sieht aus and schaut aus

'schaut' vs 'sieht aus' vs 'schaut aus'

This article explains the difference between 'schauen', 'aussehen' and 'ausschauen', or 'schaut', 'sieht aus' and 'schaut aus'.

	ich	du	er/sie/es	wir	ihr	sie/Sie
schauen	schaue	schaust	schaut	schauen	schaut	schauen
aussehen	sehe aus	siehst aus	sieht aus	sehen aus	seht aus	sehen aus
ausschauen	schaue aus	schaust aus	schaut aus	schauen aus	schaut aus	schauen aus

'schauen' vs. 'aussehen' in German:

'Er schaut verwirrt.' This means he is actively looking with a confused expression at something. It’s an action that expresses his inner confusion through his gaze or the way he is looking.

'Er sieht verwirrt aus.' This means he appears confused to others. It describes his outward appearance or how he is perceived by others. Important: This is regardless of whether he is actually confused or not.

'schauen' vs. 'aussehen” in English:

'He looks confused.' The word 'looks' in English on the other hand can describe both the active act of looking and the outward appearance. In the context of 'looks confused,' it often refers to appearance. With other words on how someone is perceived from the outside. However, it can also mean someone is actively looking with a confused expression, depending on the context.

'He appears confused.' This expression only describes the outward appearance. With other words how someone is perceived. This is comparable to the German 'Er sieht verwirrt aus.'

'ausschauen' or 'schaut aus'

The expression 'schaut aus' is more regional and is commonly used in southern German dialects, particularly in Bavaria and Austria. It is a variant of 'sieht aus,' and both expressions are used synonymously to describe the outward appearance or impression someone or something gives.

In standard German, 'sieht aus' is more commonly used, while 'schaut aus' is considered equivalent in certain dialects. The use of 'schaut aus' is less formal and reflects regional language habits.

So, 'sieht aus' means 'looks like' or 'appears' and 'schaut aus' usually means the same thing but is specific to certain regional dialects.

Conclusion

The main difference in the German language is that 'schauen' emphasizes an active action, while 'aussehen' (or 'ausschauen”) focuses on perception or appearance. In English, 'look' can encompass both meanings depending on the context.

In the Story 'Gut Ding will Weile haben'

In the German short story 'Gut Ding will Weile haben' the phrase 'Mein Vater schaut schuldbewusst' therefore translates as 'My father looks remorsefully' (not into 'My father looks remorseful'). In the story, Herbert actively looks at Felix with a remorseful expression, because he realises that he has hurt him unintentionally.

Generally the German word 'schuldbewusst' could be described as 'conscious of guilt' or 'guilt-aware' or 'remorseful'. It refers to a state of being aware of one’s own guilt or feeling guilty. It describes a person who acknowledges that they have done something wrong or have made a mistake, and they feel remorseful or responsible for their actions. It encompasses both the recognition of wrongdoing and the accompanying emotional response, such as regret or shame.