das  Blickfeld

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈblɪkfɛlt/

👁️ What Exactly is 'das Blickfeld'?

Das Blickfeld (neuter, article das) refers to the area that a person can see with their eyes without moving their head or eyes. It's the field of vision.

Furthermore, das Blickfeld is also used figuratively:

• It can describe a person's mental horizon, range of interest, or awareness. (Example: Diese neuen Entwicklungen liegen außerhalb meines Blickfelds. - 'These new developments are outside my scope/field of vision.')
• It can also refer to the area currently in the focus of attention. (Example: Das Problem rückte plötzlich ins Blickfeld der Öffentlichkeit. - 'The problem suddenly came into the public eye / focus.')

There's only the article das for this word. ⚠️ Don't confuse it with words that sound similar but have different articles.

🧐 Grammar: Declining 'das Blickfeld'

Das Blickfeld is a neuter noun. It follows the strong declension pattern.

💡 Example Sentences

1. Der Vogel flog plötzlich in mein Blickfeld. (The bird suddenly flew into my field of vision. - Accusative Singular)
2. Die Ränder des Blickfeldes sind oft unscharf. (The edges of the field of vision are often blurry. - Genitive Singular)
3. Aus verschiedenen Blickfeldern betrachtet, wirkt die Situation anders. (Viewed from different perspectives / fields of vision, the situation seems different. - Dative Plural)
4. Die erweiterten Blickfelder der neuen Kameras sind beeindruckend. (The extended fields of vision of the new cameras are impressive. - Nominative Plural)

🧭 When to Use 'Blickfeld'?

Das Blickfeld is used in various contexts:

• Literally: When driving, in photography, observing nature or people, in medicine (ophthalmology). Example: Achte auf Radfahrer in deinem rechten Blickfeld! - 'Watch out for cyclists in your right field of vision!'
• Figuratively: In discussions about politics, science, personal interests, or problems. Example: Alternative Energien rücken immer stärker ins Blickfeld der Forschung. - 'Alternative energies are increasingly coming into the focus of research.'

Difference to 'Gesichtsfeld': Gesichtsfeld is often used synonymously, but tends to be the more technical or medical term for the physiologically measurable visual field. Blickfeld can be slightly more general and is also more commonly used in a figurative sense.

Typical Phrases:

• etwas/jemanden im Blickfeld haben (to have something/someone in one's field of vision / on one's radar)
• etwas/jemand gerät ins Blickfeld (something/someone comes into view / focus)
• etwas liegt außerhalb des Blickfelds (something is outside the field of vision / scope)
• etwas aus dem Blickfeld verlieren (to lose sight of something / lose focus on something)

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic (das): Think of 'das Feld' (the field). Many compound nouns ending in '-feld' are neuter in German (das Schlachtfeld - battlefield, das Minenfeld - minefield, das Fußballfeld - football field). So, it's also: das Blickfeld.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine you are standing in a wide Feld (field - like the end of the word). Your Blick (gaze/view - like the start of the word) sweeps across this field – that's your Blickfeld, everything you can see.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for Blickfeld

⚠️ Similar Words:

Be careful not to confuse Blickfeld with words like Blickkontakt (eye contact) or Blickrichtung (direction of gaze).

😂 A Little Joke

German: Warum tragen kurzsichtige Geister keine Brille?

Weil sie sonst niemanden mehr erschrecken können, der außerhalb ihres Blickfelds steht! 😉

English: Why don't short-sighted ghosts wear glasses?

Because otherwise, they couldn't scare anyone standing outside their field of vision! 😉

📜 A Little Poem

German:
Weit und offen liegt die Welt,
begrenzt durch das, was uns gefällt
zu sehen, nah und auch in Fern'.
Das ist das Blickfeld, unser Stern,
der leitet, was wir wahrhaft schau'n,
im Geist und auf des Lebens Au'n.

English Translation:
Wide and open lies the world,
bordered by what we like unfurled
to see, both near and far away.
That is the field of vision, our star's ray,
guiding what we truly see,
in mind and on life's meadowy lea.

❓ Riddle Time

German:
Ich habe keine Augen, doch zeige dir, was du siehst.
Ich habe keine Grenzen, doch ende, wo dein Schauen fließt.
Manchmal bin ich eng, manchmal weit und klar,
im Kopf und vor den Augen bin ich immer dar.

Was bin ich?

Lösung: das Blickfeld

English Translation:
I have no eyes, yet I show you what you see.
I have no borders, yet end where your gaze flows free.
Sometimes I am narrow, sometimes wide and clear,
In the mind and before the eyes, I am always here.

What am I?

Solution: das Blickfeld (the field of vision)

🧩 Other Details

Word Composition:

Das Blickfeld is a compound noun made up of:

• der Blick: The gaze, the look, the view.
• das Feld: The field, area (here in the sense of range/area).

Interesting Phrase:

The idiom "etwas ins Blickfeld rücken" means 'to bring something into focus', 'to draw attention to something', 'to make something important or a topic of discussion'.