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,”
- The “gen” is like “gun,”
- 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:
- In polite conversation
- Einen Augenblick Geduld, bitte. – Just a moment of patience, please.
- In emotional or dramatic storytelling
- Der Augenblick, in dem sie sich trafen... – The moment they met...
- 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.
Grammatical case examples:
- Nominative:
Der Augenblick war magisch.
The moment was magical. - Accusative:
Ich brauche einen Augenblick zum Nachdenken.
I need a moment to think. - Dative:
Mit dem Augenblick kam auch die Erkenntnis.
With the moment came the realization. - Genitive:
Wegen des Augenblicks zögerte sie nicht.
Because of the moment, she didn’t hesitate.
Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- im Augenblick – at the moment / currently
- Augenblick mal! – Just a second! / Hang on!
- Augenblicklich – instantly / immediately (a bit formal or literary)
- der schönste Augenblick – the most beautiful moment
- ein flüchtiger Augenblick – a fleeting moment
Fun idiomatic note:
“Augenblick mal!” is a common phrase meaning “Hold on!” or “Wait a sec!”—used when you’re surprised, annoyed, or trying to pause a conversation.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Augenblick
🎥 Learn Augenblick and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Alternate translations note:
Moment is also a common German word for “moment,” and it's slightly more neutral or casual. Augenblick is often used to add a touch of formality, urgency, or emotional weight. If you want to sound poetic or courteous, Augenblick is your word.
Ready for more German words of the day? Do you know what Ausdruck means? How about Bedingung? Find out!