How do you say moment (Augenblick) in German?

A second of eye contact, a pause before a kiss, or just a quick “hold on” - Germans call it an Augenblick. It’s a word that literally means “eye-glance,” and it captures the idea of a fleeting, meaningful moment.

The noun Augenblick means moment, instant, or brief period of time, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It’s used in everyday language, literature, romantic lyrics, and when you just need someone to wait a second.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Augenblick.

Pronunciation

Augenblick is pronounced [OW-gen-blick].

• The “au” rhymes with “how,”
• gen is unstressed and often reduced, with a short schwa or syllabic n,
• The “blick” rhymes with “click.”
• The stress is on the first syllable: AU-gen-blick.

It sounds sharp and brief - perfect for a quick moment.

Example sentences:

• Einen Augenblick, bitte!Just a moment, please!
• In einem einzigen Augenblick änderte sich alles.In a single moment, everything changed.

Nuance and usage tips

Augenblick literally means “glance of an eye” - and that’s exactly how long it implies: a short moment, brief but real. It’s often used:

1. In polite conversation
   • Einen Augenblick Geduld, bitte. - Just a moment of patience, please.
2. In emotional or dramatic storytelling
   • Der Augenblick, in dem sie sich trafen… - The moment they met…
3. As a substitute for “moment” or “instant”
   • Similar to Moment, but Augenblick often sounds a bit more poetic or formal.

Its antonym in spirit might be Ewigkeit (feminine) - eternity.