German Phrase
Wir sollten uns die Serie mal zusammen anschauen.
Meaning
This phrase is a friendly suggestion to watch a TV series together. 'Sollten' indicates a recommendation or a soft obligation. The reflexive pronoun 'uns' shows that the action is done by and for 'us', and 'mal' adds a casual, 'sometime' or 'just once' nuance.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to suggest watching a TV series with a friend, partner, or family member. It's a casual and inviting way to propose a shared activity, often implying a future plan rather than an immediate one.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wirsolltenunsdie Seriemalzusammenanschauen
Sollten (Modal Verb)
'Sollten' is the past subjunctive form of 'sollen' (to be supposed to, should). It's used here to express a recommendation or a polite suggestion, making it softer than a direct command.
Uns (Reflexive Pronoun)
'Uns' is the dative/accusative reflexive pronoun for 'wir' (we). In this context, 'sich etwas anschauen' means 'to watch something (for oneself/together)', indicating a shared activity.
Mal (Particle)
'Mal' is a common German particle that softens requests, suggestions, or commands, adding a nuance of 'just', 'sometime', or 'for a moment'. It makes the suggestion more casual and less demanding.
Anschauen (Separable Verb)
'Anschauen' is a separable verb meaning 'to watch' or 'to look at'. In sentences with modal verbs, the 'an-' prefix remains attached to the main verb at the end of the sentence.
🗨In Conversation
Hast du schon die neue Staffel von 'Dark' gesehen?
Have you already seen the new season of 'Dark'?
Noch nicht, aber ich habe viel Gutes gehört. Wir sollten uns die Serie mal zusammen anschauen.
Not yet, but I've heard a lot of good things. We should watch the series together sometime.
✕Common Mistakes
Wir sollten die Serie zusammen sehen.
While 'sehen' means 'to see', 'anschauen' or 'gucken' are more appropriate for 'to watch' a show or movie in German.
Wir sollten uns mal die Serie zusammen anschauen.
The reflexive pronoun 'uns' typically comes before 'mal' when 'mal' modifies the verb or the entire suggestion, not just the object.
Wir sollten die Serie zusammen anschauen.
Omitting 'uns' makes the sentence grammatically incorrect as 'anschauen' in this context is reflexive (to watch something *for ourselves* or *with each other*).
↔Alternatives
Lass uns die Serie zusammen anschauen.
Let's watch the series together.
Wollen wir die Serie zusammen gucken?
Do we want to watch the series together?
Wir könnten die Serie mal zusammen sehen.
We could watch the series together sometime.
Cultural Tip
Germans often appreciate directness in communication, but phrases like 'Wir sollten...' or 'Wollen wir...?' are common for making polite suggestions. The word 'mal' is frequently used to soften requests or suggestions, making them sound more casual and less demanding, similar to 'sometime' or 'just once' in English. Planning social activities, including watching TV, is often done in advance.