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German Phrase

Ich schau, wie's läuft.

/ɪç ˈʃaʊ̯ viːs ˈlɔɪ̯ft/
Meaning"I’ll see how it goes."
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Meaning

Literally, “I look, how it runs,” but idiomatically it means “I’ll see how it goes” or “I’ll watch how things turn out.” It expresses a wait‑and‑see attitude, often when the speaker is unsure about the outcome.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you want to convey a relaxed, informal stance toward an uncertain situation – e.g., before a meeting, a new project, a date, or any event whose result you can’t predict.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Ichschau,wie'släuft.

1

schau (colloquial)

‘schau’ is the informal, shortened form of ‘schauen’ (to look/watch). In spoken German the final ‘e’ is often dropped.

2

wie's = wie es

‘wie's’ is a contraction of ‘wie es’. It is common in everyday speech and in idiomatic expressions.

3

laufen = to go/run

In this idiom ‘laufen’ does not refer to physical running but to the way a situation develops.

4

comma usage

A comma separates the main clause from the subordinate clause introduced by ‘wie’.

🗨In Conversation

A

Willst du das neue Projekt übernehmen?

Do you want to take on the new project?

Ich schau, wie's läuft.

I’ll see how it goes.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich schau, wie es läuft.

    In very formal contexts the full form ‘schau(e)’ is preferred; ‘schau’ is fine in casual speech.

  • Ich schau, wie es läuft.

    Learners sometimes write ‘wie es’ without the contraction, which is correct but loses the idiomatic flavor.

  • Ich schau, wie's läuftes.

    Do not replace ‘läuft’ with ‘läuftes’ or other invented forms; the verb stays in the third‑person singular.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich sehe, wie es läuft.

    I see how it goes.

  • Mal sehen, wie es läuft.

    Let’s see how it goes.

  • Ich warte ab, wie es weitergeht.

    I’ll wait to see how it continues.

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Cultural Tip

‘Ich schau, wie's läuft’ is informal and best used with friends, colleagues you know well, or in casual conversation. In a formal business email you would replace ‘schau’ with ‘sehe’ or use a more neutral construction like ‘Ich werde beobachten, wie sich die Situation entwickelt.’ The contraction ‘wie's’ is typical of spoken German and may sound too colloquial in written texts.