sich sehen lassen
To show oneself
Literalmente: to let oneself be seen
Use it to say you'll show up or that a result is impressively high-quality.
En 15 segundos
- To show up or make an appearance somewhere.
- To be impressive or high-quality enough to show off.
- A humble way to give a strong compliment.
Significado
This phrase means showing up somewhere or having something that is impressive enough to be shown to others. It is like saying someone 'showed their face' or something is 'quite respectable.'
Ejemplos clave
3 de 6Visiting a friend after a long time
Du musst dich mal wieder bei uns sehen lassen!
You need to show your face at our place again!
Complimenting a colleague's presentation
Deine Präsentation kann sich wirklich sehen lassen.
Your presentation is really impressive.
Texting about a party
Ich werde mich heute Abend kurz auf der Party sehen lassen.
I'll drop by the party for a bit tonight.
Contexto cultural
This expression reflects the German value of 'Bescheidenheit' or modesty. By using a passive construction ('letting oneself be seen'), the speaker avoids sounding boastful while still acknowledging success. It became a staple of everyday language as a way to bridge the gap between being proud and staying humble.
The 'Können' Trick
If you want to compliment an object, always use 'kann'. If you want to talk about a person visiting, just use 'lassen'.
Don't forget the 'sich'
This is a reflexive phrase. Without 'sich', the sentence won't make sense to a native speaker.
En 15 segundos
- To show up or make an appearance somewhere.
- To be impressive or high-quality enough to show off.
- A humble way to give a strong compliment.
What It Means
This phrase has two main flavors. First, it means physically showing up somewhere. If you haven't visited your grandma in weeks, she might ask when you will dich sehen lassen. Second, it describes something of high quality. If you finish a big project and it looks great, you can say it kann sich sehen lassen. It implies that the result is good enough to be proud of.
How To Use It
You use it as a reflexive verb with sich. For people, it usually means making an appearance. For objects or results, we almost always use the modal verb können. You would say: Das kann sich sehen lassen! This is a very common way to give a compliment. It sounds humble but carries a lot of weight.
When To Use It
Use it when you finally visit friends after being busy. It is perfect for social gatherings. Use the 'quality' version when you want to praise someone's work. Imagine your friend paints a room. You look at the clean lines and say it kann sich sehen lassen. It is also great for texting when you are planning to stop by a party briefly.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it if you are hiding or being secretive. If something is a total disaster, avoid this phrase unless you are being very sarcastic. It is not for quick glances. Do not use it for simply 'looking' at something. It is about the act of being visible or being worthy of visibility.
Cultural Background
Germans are known for being direct but also modest. Instead of shouting 'This is the best thing ever!', they often use understatements. Saying something kann sich sehen lassen is actually a high compliment. It means it meets a high standard. It suggests that even the toughest critics would find it acceptable. It is the ultimate 'stamp of approval' in a culture that values quality.
Common Variations
You might hear sich blicken lassen. This is very similar but slightly more informal. It focuses more on the physical act of appearing. Another variation is vorzeigbar sein. This means something is 'presentable.' However, sich sehen lassen remains the most versatile and common choice for daily life.
Notas de uso
The phrase is highly versatile and fits almost any social or professional setting. Just remember that 'kann sich sehen lassen' is for quality, while 'sich sehen lassen' is for appearances.
The 'Können' Trick
If you want to compliment an object, always use 'kann'. If you want to talk about a person visiting, just use 'lassen'.
Don't forget the 'sich'
This is a reflexive phrase. Without 'sich', the sentence won't make sense to a native speaker.
The Humble Brag
Germans love this phrase because it allows them to be proud of something without sounding like they are showing off too much.
Ejemplos
6Du musst dich mal wieder bei uns sehen lassen!
You need to show your face at our place again!
A friendly way to tell someone you miss them.
Deine Präsentation kann sich wirklich sehen lassen.
Your presentation is really impressive.
Used here to indicate high quality and professional work.
Ich werde mich heute Abend kurz auf der Party sehen lassen.
I'll drop by the party for a bit tonight.
Commonly used for brief social appearances.
Der neue Garten kann sich sehen lassen, oder?
The new garden looks pretty good, doesn't it?
A slightly proud but humble way to show work.
Mit diesem Haarschnitt kann ich mich nirgendwo sehen lassen!
I can't show my face anywhere with this haircut!
The negative version is often used for comedic effect.
Lass dich bald mal wieder sehen, mein Schatz.
Let us see you again soon, sweetheart.
Expresses a warm desire for a visit.
Ponte a prueba
Choose the correct form to say the cake looks great.
Der Kuchen ist fertig. Er ___ sich sehen lassen!
We use 'kann' with this phrase to indicate that something is 'able' to be seen because it's good.
Complete the sentence to tell a friend to visit.
Wann ___ du dich mal wieder bei mir sehen?
The phrase uses the verb 'lassen' (to let) in its conjugated form.
🎉 Puntuación: /2
Ayudas visuales
Formality of 'sich sehen lassen'
Talking to friends about a party.
Ich lass mich kurz blicken.
The standard way to use the phrase.
Das kann sich sehen lassen.
Praising a business result.
Das Ergebnis kann sich sehen lassen.
Where to use 'sich sehen lassen'
At a Party
Showing up for a drink.
At Work
A great report.
Home Decor
A renovated kitchen.
Family
Visiting your parents.
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasLiterally, it means 'to let oneself be seen.' In practice, it means to show up or to be presentable.
Yes! If someone looks very good in a suit, you can say: Du kannst dich sehen lassen!
They are very similar. Sich blicken lassen is a bit more informal and usually only refers to people showing up.
You would say: Das konnte sich sehen lassen. (That was impressive) or Er hat sich nicht sehen lassen. (He didn't show up).
Not at all! It is very polite and commonly used as a warm invitation or a sincere compliment.
Absolutely. It is a great way to praise a team's results by saying: Die Zahlen können sich sehen lassen.
Forgetting the reflexive pronoun sich. You can't just say sehen lassen alone.
When used with können, yes. If someone says Das kann sich sehen lassen, they mean it is good quality.
You can say: Ich lasse mich heute Abend mal bei dir sehen.
No, it is standard German and used throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Frases relacionadas
sich blicken lassen
vorzeigbar sein
einen guten Eindruck machen
beeindruckend sein
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