看到 kan dao
I don't understand why the Chinese say 'kan dao' instead of just 'kan' ...when do I say kan and when kan dao...

Question

看到  kan dao
I don't understand why the Chinese say 'kan dao' instead of just 'kan' ...when do I say kan and when kan dao...

Answer

My English is poor. I hope you can understand my explanation。

看到 stress action have result or achieve  aim 
我看到你 I saw you.
你看到什么？what did you see
看 stress where line of sight
看书 read book
看电视 watch TV
你在看什么？What are you looking at

Answer

Many thanks Eric !

Answer

Hi Luciana:
看(kan4) just means look (just an action)
same words:瞧(qiao2)

看到(kan4 dao4) meaning see something (see what you look) 
same words:看见(kan4 jian4)，瞧见(qiao2 jian4)

for example：看！就在那里，你看到了吗？ (kan4! jiu4 zai4 na4 li3, ni3 kan4 dao4 le1 ma1?)
Look! over there, did you see that?

hope could help you

Answer

I think "到" is similar to preposition in english.

Examples:

看到
看见
看望
看出
看来
看去

Answer

kan  is an action.kan  means   look .e.g.    Look,  the boy is singing. 看，那个男孩正在唱歌。强调让你注意这件事。        kan dao is a   result. For exapmle. I saw you in the classroom yesterday.昨天我看到你在教室。  强调你是在教室，不是在其他地方。kan dao  emphasizes you were in the calssroom ,not other places.