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Questions & Answers about Sein Blick ist freundlich.
What does Sein mean here? Is it the verb sein (“to be”)?
Here, Sein is a possessive determiner meaning his (or its; see below). The verb “to be” in this sentence is ist. So the structure is “His/Its look is friendly.”
Why is it sein Blick and not seinen Blick?
Because Blick is the subject in the nominative case. Possessive determiners like sein decline like “ein-words,” and in nominative masculine there’s no ending: sein Blick. Compare:
- Nominative (subject): sein Blick ist freundlich.
- Accusative (object): Ich bemerke seinen Blick.
- Dative: Ich folge seinem Blick.
- Genitive: wegen seines Blickes/Blicks (rare in everyday speech).
Why doesn’t freundlich have an ending?
It’s a predicative adjective (after ist), and predicative adjectives don’t take endings in German. If you put it before the noun (attributive), it does: sein freundlicher Blick.
Can I just say Er ist freundlich?
Yes, but it means something different. Er ist freundlich describes the person as friendly. Sein Blick ist freundlich limits the description to his gaze/look at that moment. You can also say Er wirkt freundlich (“He comes across as friendly”).
Could sein also mean “its” here?
Yes. sein is used for male persons and for neuter nouns. For example:
- Das Kind hebt den Kopf. Sein Blick ist freundlich. (= its/his)
- For a female person or a feminine noun: ihr Blick (“her/its”).
Is Sein here the noun das Sein (“being”)?
No. It’s just capitalized because it starts the sentence. Here sein functions as a possessive determiner before Blick. The philosophical noun das Sein would appear with an article and different syntax.
What gender and case is Blick, and what does it mean?
Blick is masculine, nominative singular here; dictionary form: der Blick. Plural: die Blicke (used when talking about exchanged glances, etc.). In this sentence Blick means a person’s look/gaze. Note: der Blick auf etwas can also mean “the view of something,” but that’s a different usage.
What’s the difference between Blick, Gesichtsausdruck, and Aussehen?
- Blick: the gaze/look, what the eyes convey in a moment.
- Gesichtsausdruck: facial expression (brow, mouth, eyes together).
- Aussehen: overall appearance (“what someone looks like” in general).
Could I also say Er blickt freundlich or Er sieht freundlich aus?
Yes:
- Er blickt freundlich. = He looks/gazes in a friendly way (action of looking).
- Er sieht freundlich aus. = He looks friendly (appearance). Both are common; aussehen is very idiomatic. schauen is also used regionally: Er schaut freundlich.
Why is the verb second? Can I front freundlich?
German main clauses follow the V2 rule (finite verb in second position). Sein Blick is the first constituent, so ist comes second. You can front the adjective for emphasis: Freundlich ist sein Blick. But Sein Blick freundlich ist is ungrammatical.
How do I pronounce the sentence?
- Sein [zaɪn]
- Blick [blɪk]
- ist [ɪst]
- freundlich [ˈfʁɔʏntlɪç] (eu = [ɔʏ]; final ch = the “ich”-sound [ç]) Primary stress on freund- in freundlich.
How would it change in the plural or other cases?
- Plural subject: Seine Blicke sind freundlich.
- Accusative object: Ich bemerke seinen freundlichen Blick.
- Dative: Mit seinem freundlichen Blick gewann er Vertrauen.
What happens if I put the adjective before the noun?
Then it takes an ending:
- Nominative: sein freundlicher Blick ist freundlich/warm.
- Accusative: Ich bemerke seinen freundlichen Blick.
- Dative: Mit seinem freundlichen Blick …
- Genitive: Wegen seines freundlichen Blicks/Blickes …
Is freundlich the same as nett or sympathisch?
Not exactly:
- freundlich: polite, kind, welcoming in manner (works well with eyes/gaze).
- nett: “nice,” a bit casual/surface-level.
- sympathisch: likeable/pleasant (false friend of “sympathetic”). For a gaze you might also hear: warm, sanft, gütig, zugewandt.
Is the sentence neutral or formal? Where would I use it?
It’s neutral and widely usable—in narratives, descriptions, everyday conversation, and even formal writing. It simply states an observation about someone’s gaze.
Any useful collocations with Blick?
- einen (freundlichen) Blick zuwerfen = to cast a (friendly) glance
- jemanden freundlich ansehen/ansehen = to look at someone kindly
- mit einem freundlichen Blick = with a friendly look
- den Blick senken/heben = lower/raise one’s gaze
- Idiom: auf den ersten Blick = at first glance
- Blickkontakt halten = maintain eye contact
- etwas im Blick behalten = keep an eye on something