Difference between revisions of "Language/English/Vocabulary/Difference-between-verbs-See-Watch-Look"
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Revision as of 17:24, 11 January 2022
We will make the difference between these three verbs in the sense of "your eyes give an image to your brain".
These 3 verbs have other meanings, but we won't go into those.
to see
A general term for your eyes giving an image/images to your brain.
Often, you are not consciously/deliberately using your eyes to view the image(s).
to look
Usually, you are consciously/deliberately using your eyes for the image. The image your brain gets generally does not move. You also view the image for more than a very short time but less time than "to watch".
to watch
As with "to look", you are consciously/deliberately using your eyes for the image. However, the image your brain gets does move or is potentially expected to move. "to watch" is also for a longer period of time than "to look".
Example with "to see" and "to look"
- I’m at a museum. I can see the painting by Henri Matisse. I’m now looking at it.
My eyes observe that there is a Matisse painting on the wall. Then I deliberately continue my attention with my eyes on the picture.
(NOT ”I’m watching the Matisse painting” - unless you are a security guard at the museum observing if the Matisse painting is moving because of a thief!
Example with "to watch"
- I’m watching the film on TV.
There is a moving image on the TV screen - the film - which I am continuing to observe consciously with my eyes.
It’s possible also to use: ”I’m seeing the film on TV.” From my experience, native English speakers tend to use ”see” rather than ”watch” when they are less concentrated on the film.
Even ”I looked at a film on TV last night.” is possible, However, it is usually used for viewing a very short part of the film - not the whole of the film.