"Wir sehen manche Fotos auf dem Tisch."

Translation: We see some photos on the table.

[learnThisSht]

we are seeing some photos on the table. Why is "we see" =/= "we are seeing"?

[Germandy]

You cannot distinguish that in German, there is not really a gerund form.

[az_p]

"We are seeing" (present continuing) is not generally used in English to mean sehen except in specific circumstances. That seems to be Duolingo's policy, anyway, as it's one situation where it clearly prefers using simple present tense instead ("we see").

[alistecor]

why can't I translate Fotos as pictures? =(

[az_p]

"Photos" are always produced by a camera, "pictures" can also be drawn.

[Riqi_Tang]

I made the same "mistake", though I don't think it should be; I'll report it

[BenMH]

I always try and put something like 'we can see some photos on the table' and get it wrong because of the 'can'. But 'we see some photos on the table' sounds so weird.

[netizen1]

Could "manche" be translated as "various"? Currently Duo doesn't accept it.

[az_p]

That's not a good translation. "Various" has an emphasis on there being some difference between each of the photos, which manche does not contain. "Some" is a good translation that does not change the meaning or emphasis.

[f0xG3_PatG]

would "unterschiedlich(e)" or "verschieden(e)" be a better translation for "various" ?

[ROHITCHOUD16]

on the table/ of the table?

[Riqi_Tang]

of the table = von dem Tisch

[kgraf17]

Can etwas be used instead of manche?

[GNTER314995]

In this sentence instead of "manche Fotos" it would be much better to read "einige Fotos".

[John220070]

I used many for manche and it was accepted, but i don't think it should have been.

[Kirstenjohnson1]

it wasn't accepted today!! Not fair!!

[corryyusra]

How about "much" ?

[Sheila351374]

Difference between auf dem tisch, and auf den tisch?

[LSadun]

Auf is a 2-way preposition. When describing motion, like putting something ONTO the table, you use the accusative den. When describing a static location, where the photos happen to BE, you use the dative dem.