Lesson 16 · Hear, see, smell

Birds

bird watching

Bird watching is very popular in the Netherlands. After a month, we finally had the opportunity to visit the northern part of the Netherlands in a region called the “Waddenzee”. Many birds flock to this area, and we spent a marvelous day watching them.

The following verbs are essential for describing sensory experiences while bird watching:

• to see
• to look at
• to hear
• to smell

Before we dive into these verbs, here’s a video to give you a simple impression of the Waddenzee. The video is purely visual, offering a glimpse into the area without further explanation.

Now we will look at the verbs in combination with I, you, he, she, etc.

1. I see 1 bird

2. you see 1 bird

It is important to look at the difference between the verbs "to see" and "to look at". This is demonstrated in the following sentences.

1 I look  at a seagull

2 you  look at a sparrow 

1. I hear a bird

2. I hear a car

3. do you hear a bird? 

4. what do you hear? 

Another verb related to perception is "to smell". Again we present some sentences.

1 I smell a rose

2 you smell a rose

It is important to learn the complete schemes that illustrate how the verbs relate to the personal pronouns.
Here we see the schemes for:
to see
to hear
to smell

It is important to note these schemes in your notebook as this is the best way to remember these schemes.

1. I see 1 bird

2. You see 1 bird

1. I look at a seagull

2. You look at a sparrow

1. I hear a bird

2. I hear a car

3. Do you hear a bird?

4. What do you hear?

1. I smell a rose

2. You smell a rose