Cool MateLook at that vs See
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Look at that
Top 2,000 (common)
See
High-frequency chunkA1verb
Most common: See
| Look at that | See | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //lʊk æt ðæt//🇺🇸 //lʊk æt ðæt// | 🇬🇧 /["/siː/","/siːz/","/sɔː/","/siːn/","/ˈsiːɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/siː/","/siːz/","/sɔː/","/siːn/","/ˈsiːɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | See that thing. | To notice something with your eyes. |
| Example | Wow, **look at that** beautiful painting! | I can see the mountains from my house. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | High-frequency chunk |
| CEFR level | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | look at that view, look at that picture, look at that problem | clearly, easily, plainly, be able to, can, go to, into, get a/the chance to see, get an/the opportunity to see, have a/the chance to see, clearly, easily, plainly, be able to, can, go to, into, get a/the chance to see, get an/the opportunity to see, have a/the chance to see, clearly, easily, plainly, be able to, can, go to, into, get a/the chance to see, get an/the opportunity to see, have a/the chance to see, come to, come around to, come over to, about, come to, come around to, come over to, about, can, cannot, do not, want to, come over to, go over to, go and see, wait and see |
| Antonyms | ignore that, overlook that, disregard that | ignore, overlook |
| Common mistakes | Saying 'look at that' when it's not necessary to draw attention., Using it in overly formal situations., Confusing it with similar phrases like 'check this out' which is more informal. | Using 'see' instead of 'look' (e.g., 'I see at the picture' instead of 'I look at the picture'), 'See' is not a synonym for 'watch' when talking about TV shows or movies., Confusing 'see' with 'saw' in past tense usage. |
| Usage notes | Used to draw attention to something. Suitable in casual conversations or when pointing out something interesting. | Use 'see' for visual perception. It's appropriate in both casual and formal contexts. Avoid using it when referring to understanding concepts; prefer 'understand' in those cases. |
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Frequently asked questions: Look at that vs See
What's the difference between Look at that and See?
Look at that: See that thing. See: To notice something with your eyes.
Which is more common: Look at that and See?
See is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Look at that: Wow, **look at that** beautiful painting! See: I can see the mountains from my house.
Can I use Look at that and See interchangeably?
Not always. Look at that and See are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.