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EveryLingua

C1  ·  53 words

Gaze, face and posture

Verbs, nouns and set phrases for what people say without a word.

Many verbs of looking and signalling come in two versions, and English gives no warning, because it says « at » for both. A verb with an- treats the other person as a target and takes the accusative: jemanden anstarren, jemanden anlächeln, jemanden anblicken. A verb with zu- sends something across the space between two people and treats the other as the one who receives it, so it takes the dative: jemandem zulächeln, jemandem zuzwinkern, jemandem zunicken, jemandem zuwinken. The same smile can go either way, and both sentences are correct — sie lächelte ihn an, sie lächelte ihm zu — but they do not show the same scene. The first is a smile aimed at his face; the second is a smile sent over to him as a signal, as it might be across a room. Choose the prefix first, and the case follows from it.

The words

Verb (30)

musternto look (someone) up and downVerbC1
Der Türsteher musterte uns von oben bis unten.The bouncer looked us up and down.

Not to muster: mustern is looking, not gathering.

beäugento eye (warily)VerbC2
Die Katze beäugte den neuen Hund voller Misstrauen.The cat eyed the new dog with deep suspicion.
spähento peer, to keep a lookoutVerbC1
Sie spähte durch den Türspalt in den dunklen Flur.She peered through the gap in the door into the dark hallway.

der Späher is a scout or lookout.

lugento peep (out)VerbC2
Hinter dem Vorhang lugte ein Kinderkopf hervor.A child’s head was peeping out from behind the curtain.

Mostly with a direction: hervorlugen, um die Ecke lugen.

anstarrento stare atVerbC1
Warum starrst du mich die ganze Zeit an?Why do you keep staring at me?

Separable; takes the accusative: jemanden anstarren.

gaffento gawp, to rubberneckVerbC1
An der Unfallstelle gafften Dutzende, statt zu helfen.Dozens stood gawping at the scene of the accident instead of helping.

Pejorative. An onlooker at an accident is der Gaffer.

blinzelnto blink, to screw up one’s eyesVerbC1
Geblendet blinzelte sie in die tief stehende Sonne.Dazzled, she blinked into the low sun.
zuzwinkernto wink atVerbC1
Der Großvater zwinkerte dem Enkel verschwörerisch zu.The grandfather gave his grandson a conspiratorial wink.

Separable; takes the dative: jemandem zuzwinkern.

zulächelnto smile atVerbC1
Die Kellnerin lächelte uns von der Theke aus zu.The waitress smiled over at us from the bar.

Separable; takes the dative. Compare jemanden anlächeln, with the accusative.

schmunzelnto smile quietly to oneselfVerbC1
Der alte Herr schmunzelte über die Frage des Kindes.The old gentleman smiled to himself at the child’s question.
feixento smirk, to sniggerVerbC2
In der letzten Reihe feixten zwei Schüler.Two pupils were sniggering in the back row.

Colloquial.

schmollento sulkVerbC1
Seit dem Streit schmollt er in seinem Zimmer.He has been sulking in his room since the row.
errötento blushVerbC1
Bei dem unerwarteten Lob errötete sie.She blushed at the unexpected praise.

Formal; everyday German says rot werden. Auxiliary sein: ist errötet.

erbleichento turn paleVerbC2
Als er den Brief las, erbleichte er.He went pale as he read the letter.

Literary; everyday German says blass werden. Auxiliary sein.

zusammenzuckento flinchVerbC1
Beim Knall der Tür zuckte sie zusammen.She flinched when the door banged.

Separable: zuckte zusammen.

zusammenfahrento give a startVerbC2
Als das Telefon klingelte, fuhr er zusammen.He started when the telephone rang.

Separable and irregular: fuhr zusammen, ist zusammengefahren.

schaudernto shudderVerbC1
Beim Gedanken an die eisige Rückfahrt schauderte es ihn.He shuddered at the thought of the icy journey home.

Often impersonal: es schaudert mich, mich schaudert.

gestikulierento gesticulateVerbC1
Er gestikulierte wild, um sich verständlich zu machen.He gesticulated wildly to make himself understood.
fuchtelnto wave (something) aboutVerbC2
Er fuchtelte mit dem Regenschirm in der Luft herum.He was waving his umbrella about in the air.

With mit and the dative, usually with herum.

abwinkento wave (something) asideVerbC1
Als ich ihr helfen wollte, winkte sie ab.When I offered to help, she waved me away.

Separable. Colloquial bis zum Abwinken: until you are sick of it.

salutierento saluteVerbC1
Der Wachposten salutierte vor dem General.The sentry saluted the general.

Military only; to greet someone is grüßen.

nestelnto fiddle (with)VerbC2
Nervös nestelte sie an ihrem Kragen.She fiddled nervously with her collar.

With an and the dative.

zappelnto fidget, to wriggleVerbC1
Das Kind zappelte ungeduldig auf seinem Stuhl.The child fidgeted impatiently on the chair.

jemanden zappeln lassen: to keep someone on tenterhooks.

hockento squatVerbC1
Die Kinder hockten im Kreis auf dem Boden.The children squatted in a circle on the floor.

In southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland also simply to sit.

kauernto crouch, to huddleVerbC1
Der Hund kauerte zitternd unter dem Tisch.The dog cowered, trembling, under the table.
sich duckento duckVerbC1
Er duckte sich unter dem niedrigen Balken hindurch.He ducked under the low beam.

Figuratively also: to knuckle under.

lümmelnto loll, to sprawlVerbC2
Die Jugendlichen lümmelten sich auf dem Sofa.The teenagers were sprawled across the sofa.

Colloquial and disapproving; often reflexive.

schlurfento shuffle (along)VerbC1
In Hausschuhen schlurfte er zur Tür.He shuffled to the door in his slippers.

Auxiliary sein when it means moving somewhere.

stolzierento strutVerbC1
Der Hahn stolzierte über den Hof.The cockerel strutted across the yard.

Auxiliary sein: ist stolziert.

sich räuspernto clear one’s throatVerbC1
Bevor er zu sprechen begann, räusperte er sich.He cleared his throat before he began to speak.

This list belongs to People and how they get on — 17 lists and 662 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 53 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.