German Phrase
Ja, ich schau' Fußball.
Meaning
A casual way to say ‘Yes, I watch soccer.’ The sentence is informal because of the contracted verb form schau'. It conveys enthusiasm for the sport without any extra detail about when or how often you watch.
When to use
Use this reply in friendly, spoken conversations when someone asks whether you follow football, e.g., after a question like ‘Magst du Fußball?’ or ‘Siehst du gern Fußball?’
✦Grammar Breakdown
Jaichschau'Fußball
Ja (affirmation)
Used to answer positively, similar to 'yes' in English.
ich (personal pronoun)
First‑person singular pronoun; always lower‑case in German.
schau' (colloquial contraction)
Shortened form of the verb 'schauen' (to watch). The final -e is dropped in casual speech and written with an apostrophe.
Fußball (noun)
Masculine noun meaning 'football' (soccer). The ß is pronounced like a sharp 's'.
🗨In Conversation
Magst du Fußball?
Do you like soccer?
Ja, ich schau' Fußball.
Yes, I watch soccer.
✕Common Mistakes
Ja, ich schau Fußball.
Missing the apostrophe makes it look like the standard verb form, which is less natural in spoken, informal German.
Ja, ich schau den Fußball.
Learners sometimes add an article (den) incorrectly: ‘Ja, ich schau den Fußball.’ The article is unnecessary because ‘Fußball’ is used as a sport, not a specific ball.
Ja, ich schau' Fußballes.
‘Fußballes’ is a genitive form that does not belong here; the noun stays in the accusative after ‘schauen.’
↔Alternatives
Ja, ich schaue Fußball.
Yes, I watch soccer.
Ja, ich sehe mir Fußball an.
Yes, I watch soccer.
Ja, ich gucke Fußball.
Yes, I watch soccer.
Cultural Tip
In Germany, ‘Fußball’ always refers to what English speakers call ‘soccer.’ Watching matches—especially the Bundesliga on weekends—is a major social activity. The contracted form schau' is typical among friends, teenagers, and in sports bars; in a formal setting (e.g., a business meeting) you would use the full verb form ‘schau(e)’ or ‘sehe mir … an.’