Example: Manchmal sieht man den Wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht und verliert den Überblick.
Definition
"Den Wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht sehen" is a German expression meaning to be unable to see the big picture because of focusing too much on details. It describes a situation where someone loses overall perspective by concentrating on minor or numerous elements.
Translations
can't see the forest for the trees
no ver el bosque por los árboles
door de bomen het bos niet zien
no veure el bosc pels arbres
ne pas voir la forêt à cause des arbres
Etymology
The phrase "den Wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht sehen" literally translates to "not seeing the forest for the trees." It originates from the idea that when too many trees obscure the view, one cannot see the entire forest. This metaphor has parallels in many languages, illustrating how details can blind one to the whole.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Den Wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht sehen" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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can't see the forest for the trees