How do you say “Keep an eye on” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is ein Auge auf jemanden/etwas haben, which literally means “to have an eye on someone/something”. English speakers use keep an eye on to mean watch someone or something carefully to make sure they are safe or doing the right thing. This is the exact idiomatic match in German. Note that German uses the verb 'haben' (to have) rather than 'behalten' (to keep). It is neutral, informal and common in everyday German.
Closest natural German
ein Auge auf jemanden/etwas haben
/aɪ̯n ˈaʊ̯ɡə aʊ̯f ˈjeːmandn̩/ˈɛtvas ˈhaːbn̩/
- Literal meaning
- “to have an eye on someone/something”
- Register
- neutral, informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
95 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
The German expression 'ein Auge auf jemanden/etwas haben' mirrors the English 'keep an eye on' almost perfectly in meaning and tone. It expresses temporary vigilance or protective supervision, whether you are asking a stranger at a café to watch your laptop or telling a partner to watch the kids. The primary difference lies in the verb: German uses 'haben' (to have) instead of 'behalten' (to keep).
Learners must be careful not to confuse this with two related phrases. 'Ein Auge auf jemanden/etwas werfen' (literally 'to throw an eye') means to take a romantic fancy to someone or to set your sights on buying something. Meanwhile, 'etwas/jemanden im Auge behalten' means to track or monitor a situation over time, similar to 'keep in view' or 'keep tabs on'.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity4 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in German?
im Auge behalten
Literally: “to keep in the eye”
Common for monitoring a developing situation, a trend, or someone potentially suspicious.
aufpassen auf
Literally: “to pay attention to”
A direct, everyday phrasal verb meaning to mind, watch, or take care of someone or something.
Don't translate it literally
ein Auge behalten auf
This is a direct, unnatural calque from English; German pairs 'ein Auge' with 'haben' in this context.
ein Auge auf jemanden werfen
This idiom means to take a romantic liking to someone or to covet an item, not to watch over them for safety.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in German, not as expressions.
In context
English
Could you keep an eye on my bag for a minute?
German
Könntest du kurz ein Auge auf meine Tasche haben?
English
Please keep an eye on the kids while I'm in the kitchen.
German
Bitte hab ein Auge auf die Kinder, während ich in der Küche bin.
Related expressions
Last reviewed 2026-09-11