German Phrase
Wahrscheinlich, aber es macht Spaß, es sich anzuschauen.
Meaning
The sentence means “Probably, but it’s fun to watch it.” It combines a statement about likelihood with a personal reaction to the activity of watching something. The reflexive infinitive clause emphasizes that the act of looking at the object itself is enjoyable.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to acknowledge that something is likely to happen or be true, yet you still find the process of observing it entertaining. It works well in casual conversation about movies, sports, experiments, or any visual event.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wahrscheinlichaberes macht Spaßes sich anzuschauen
Wahrscheinlich (adverb)
Used to express probability or likelihood. It can stand alone at the beginning of a sentence and is usually followed by a comma.
aber (coordinating conjunction)
Connects two contrasting statements. The clause after "aber" often introduces a new perspective.
es macht Spaß (impersonal construction)
Literally "it makes fun"; the subject "es" is a dummy pronoun. This structure is common for expressing enjoyment.
Infinitive clause with reflexive pronoun
The phrase "es sich anzuschauen" is an infinitive clause introduced by a comma. "sich" refers back to the dummy "es" and is required for verbs that take a reflexive object.
Comma before infinitive clause
In German, a comma is mandatory before an infinitive clause that is introduced by a preposition or a word like "es".
🗨In Conversation
Wahrscheinlich, aber es macht Spaß, es sich anzuschauen.
Probably, but it's fun to watch it.
Ja, das stimmt – ich könnte stundenlang dabei bleiben.
Yes, that's true – I could stay watching for hours.
✕Common Mistakes
Wahrscheinlich, aber es macht Spaß, es zu anschauen.
The verb "anschauen" is reflexive in this construction; you need "es sich anzuschauen".
Wahrscheinlich aber es macht Spaß es sich anzuschauen.
A comma must separate the main clause from the infinitive clause.
Wahrscheinlich, aber es macht Spaß zu es sich anzuschauen.
"macht Spaß" is followed by a noun or an infinitive clause, not by "zu" directly.
↔Alternatives
Wahrscheinlich, aber es ist unterhaltsam, es zu sehen.
Probably, but it's entertaining to see it.
Es ist wahrscheinlich, doch das Anschauen macht Spaß.
It is probably the case, yet watching it is fun.
Wahrscheinlich, aber das Betrachten ist spaßig.
Probably, but the viewing is fun.
Cultural Tip
German speakers often use the impersonal "es macht Spaß" construction to talk about enjoyment without specifying a personal subject. The reflexive infinitive ("es sich anzuschauen") sounds slightly more formal than the simpler "es zu sehen" and is common in written or semi‑formal contexts. Remember to keep the comma before the infinitive clause – omitting it is a frequent error for learners.