achten 30초 만에
- Achten means 'to pay attention' when used with 'auf' + Accusative.
- It means 'to respect' when used as a direct transitive verb.
- Commonly heard in public safety announcements (Achtung!).
- Crucial for describing health, traffic, and social interactions.
The German verb achten is a multifaceted linguistic tool that primarily functions in two distinct semantic spheres: the act of paying attention or being mindful, and the act of showing respect or esteem. At its core, it suggests a conscious direction of the mind toward an object, person, or rule. When used with the preposition auf (followed by the accusative case), it translates to 'to pay attention to' or 'to watch out for.' This is the most common usage for learners at the A2 level. For example, in a traffic context, one must auf den Verkehr achten (pay attention to traffic). This implies a continuous state of alertness rather than a single glance.
- Attention/Mindfulness
- Directing focus toward specific details or surroundings to ensure safety or accuracy.
- Respect/Esteem
- Holding someone in high regard or recognizing their dignity (often used without a preposition).
- Compliance
- Observing rules, laws, or social norms strictly.
"Bitte achten Sie auf Ihre Wertsachen während der Fahrt."
— Standard train announcement in Germany
Beyond simple attention, achten carries a weight of responsibility. It is not just 'seeing'; it is 'noticing with intent.' When you respect someone (jemanden achten), you are acknowledging their intrinsic value. This usage is slightly more formal and is often contrasted with verachten (to despise). In philosophical or legal texts, die Würde des Menschen zu achten (to respect human dignity) is a foundational concept. The verb is weak, meaning its conjugation is regular: ich achte, du achtest, er achtete, hat geachtet. Understanding the difference between the intransitive use with auf and the transitive use for respect is crucial for moving from A2 to B1 proficiency.
Wir müssen mehr auf die Umwelt achten, um den Planeten zu schützen.
Ein guter Lehrer achtet die Meinung seiner Schüler.
Man sollte auf eine gesunde Ernährung achten.
Using achten correctly depends heavily on the prepositional structure. If you are describing the act of being careful or observant, you must use auf + Akkusativ. This is a fixed combination. If you omit the 'auf', the meaning shifts entirely to 'respecting' someone. For instance, 'Ich achte dich' means 'I respect you,' whereas 'Ich achte auf dich' means 'I am looking out for you' or 'I am paying attention to you.'
- Prepositional Usage
- Verb + auf + Accusative (e.g., auf das Kind achten).
- Transitive Usage
- Verb + Direct Object (e.g., die Gesetze achten).
- Reflexive Nuance
- While not strictly reflexive, 'auf sich achten' means to take care of oneself.
In daily conversation, you will most frequently encounter the imperative form: "Achtung!" which is the noun form used as an interjection, but the verb form "Achte darauf!" (Pay attention to that!) is equally common. When giving advice, Germans often use the structure "Du solltest darauf achten, dass..." (You should make sure that...). This 'da-compound' (darauf) acts as a placeholder for a subordinate clause, a vital structure for B1 level and above.
Achte bitte darauf, dass die Tür geschlossen ist.
In dieser Firma achtet man sehr auf Pünktlichkeit.
The verb achten is ubiquitous in German public life. You will hear it in train stations, airports, and on public transport where safety announcements are made. It is also a staple of the German educational system; teachers constantly remind students to auf die Rechtschreibung achten (pay attention to spelling). In the workplace, it appears in safety briefings and quality control discussions. In the media, journalists discuss how politicians die Verfassung achten (respect the constitution).
- Public Announcements
- "Bitte achten Sie auf die Lücke zwischen Zug und Bahnsteigkante."
- Health & Wellness
- Doctors advising patients to 'auf ihren Blutdruck zu achten'.
- Legal Contexts
- Judges speaking about 'das Gesetz achten'.
The most frequent error for English speakers is confusing achten with beachten. While they are similar, beachten is transitive (no preposition) and usually means 'to follow' or 'to take note of' (like a sign or a rule). If you say 'Ich achte das Schild,' it sounds like you are showing the sign respect as if it were a person. You should say 'Ich beachte das Schild' (I follow the sign) or 'Ich achte auf das Schild' (I am looking at/paying attention to the sign).
- Wrong Case
- Using Dative instead of Accusative after 'auf'. (Wrong: Achte auf dem Verkehr).
- Missing 'auf'
- Forgetting the preposition when you mean 'to pay attention'.
- Confusing with 'beobachten'
- 'Beobachten' means to watch/observe over time, while 'achten auf' is about focus and care.
To expand your vocabulary, it is helpful to compare achten with its synonyms and related verbs. Aufpassen is the most common colloquial synonym for 'paying attention' or 'watching out.' If you are in a park and want someone to watch your bag, you say 'Kannst du auf meine Tasche aufpassen?' rather than 'achten.' Respektieren is the direct synonym for 'achten' in the sense of showing respect.
- beachten
- To take notice of / to follow (rules).
- aufpassen
- To watch out / to pay attention (more colloquial).
- respektieren
- To respect (more international/modern).
- schätzen
- To value or appreciate someone.
How Formal Is It?
발음 가이드
난이도
알아야 할 문법
Prepositional objects
Accusative case
Imperative mood
Da-compounds
Infinitiv mit zu
수준별 예문
Achtung! Der Hund ist da.
Attention! The dog is there.
Imperative noun usage.
Achte auf das Auto!
Watch out for the car!
Imperative verb with 'auf'.
Bitte achte auf mich.
Please pay attention to me.
Personal pronoun in Accusative.
Achtung, die Tür schließt.
Attention, the door is closing.
Common public announcement.
Ich achte auf die Musik.
I am paying attention to the music.
Simple present tense.
Achtung! Heißes Wasser.
Attention! Hot water.
Noun as warning.
Wir achten auf die Kinder.
We are watching out for the children.
Plural subject.
Achte auf den Weg.
Pay attention to the path.
Masculine Accusative 'den'.
Ich achte auf meine Ernährung.
I pay attention to my diet.
Reflexive-like usage with 'meine'.
Er achtet immer auf die Preise.
He always pays attention to the prices.
Adverb 'immer' placement.
Achten Sie auf Ihre Tasche!
Pay attention to your bag!
Formal 'Sie' imperative.
Wir haben auf das Wetter geachtet.
We paid attention to the weather.
Perfekt tense with 'haben'.
Sie achtet auf gute Qualität.
She pays attention to good quality.
Adjective ending in Accusative.
Achte auf die Ampel!
Pay attention to the traffic light!
Feminine Accusative 'die'.
Warum achtest du nicht auf mich?
Why aren't you paying attention to me?
Question structure.
Ich achte auf kleine Details.
I pay attention to small details.
Plural Accusative.
Ich achte darauf, dass ich genug schlafe.
I make sure that I sleep enough.
Da-compound 'darauf' + dass-clause.
Man muss die Gesetze eines Landes achten.
One must respect the laws of a country.
Meaning: Respect (no preposition).
Hast du auf seine Reaktion geachtet?
Did you pay attention to his reaction?
Perfekt tense question.
Es ist wichtig, auf die Umwelt zu achten.
It is important to pay attention to the environment.
Infinitiv mit zu.
Achten Sie darauf, den Beleg mitzunehmen.
Make sure to take the receipt with you.
Imperative with infinitive clause.
Sie achtet ihre Eltern sehr.
She respects her parents very much.
Transitive usage (respect).
Wir sollten mehr auf unsere Mitmenschen achten.
We should pay more attention to our fellow human beings.
Modal verb 'sollten'.
Er achtete nicht auf die Warnung.
He didn't pay attention to the warning.
Präteritum (past tense).
Bei der Bewerbung sollte man auf ein gepflegtes Äußeres achten.
When applying, one should pay attention to a neat appearance.
Formal advice.
Die Würde des Menschen ist zu achten.
Human dignity is to be respected.
Passive replacement (sein + zu + Infinitiv).
Achten Sie bei diesem Experiment auf die Temperaturveränderung.
During this experiment, pay attention to the temperature change.
Technical instruction.
Er achtet peinlich genau auf Sauberkeit.
He pays meticulous attention to cleanliness.
Adverbial phrase 'peinlich genau'.
Man muss die Privatsphäre anderer achten.
One must respect the privacy of others.
Abstract direct object.
Achten Sie darauf, keine vertraulichen Informationen zu teilen.
Make sure not to share any confidential information.
Negative infinitive clause.
Trotz des Stresses achtete sie auf ihre Work-Life-Balance.
Despite the stress, she paid attention to her work-life balance.
Genitive preposition 'trotz'.
Es wurde nicht genug auf die Sicherheitsvorschriften geachtet.
Not enough attention was paid to the safety regulations.
Passiv (Passive voice).
In seiner Rede achtete er sorgfältig auf seine Wortwahl.
In his speech, he carefully attended to his choice of words.
Nuanced Präteritum.
Es gilt, die Grenzen der anderen zu achten.
It is necessary to respect the boundaries of others.
Formal 'Es gilt...' structure.
Wer die Natur nicht achtet, zerstört seine eigene Lebensgrundlage.
He who does not respect nature destroys his own basis of life.
Relative clause 'Wer...'.
Die Forscher achten auf kleinste Abweichungen in den Daten.
The researchers pay attention to the smallest deviations in the data.
Superlative adjective.
Man sollte darauf achten, nicht in Klischees zu verfallen.
One should take care not to fall into clichés.
Abstract conceptual usage.
Die Souveränität der Staaten ist unbedingt zu achten.
The sovereignty of states must be respected at all costs.
Political/Legal terminology.
Er achtete das Vermächtnis seines Vaters.
He respected/honored his father's legacy.
High-register transitive use.
Achten Sie auf die feinen Nuancen in der Interpretation.
Pay attention to the fine nuances in the interpretation.
Artistic context.
Die Achtung vor dem Gesetz ist ein Pfeiler der Demokratie.
Respect for the law is a pillar of democracy.
Noun form 'Achtung vor'.
Er achtete es als seine Pflicht, die Wahrheit zu sagen.
He deemed it his duty to tell the truth.
Rare usage: 'achten als' (to deem/consider).
In der Stille achtete er auf das ferne Rauschen des Meeres.
In the silence, he attended to the distant murmur of the sea.
Poetic/Literary usage.
Man muss die Autonomie des Individuums achten.
One must respect the autonomy of the individual.
Philosophical register.
Sie achtete peinlichst auf die Einhaltung des Protokolls.
She paid the utmost attention to the observance of the protocol.
Superlative adverb 'peinlichst'.
Die wechselseitige Achtung ist die Basis jeder Beziehung.
Mutual respect is the basis of every relationship.
Abstract noun usage.
Er achtete kaum auf die warnenden Stimmen seiner Berater.
He paid little heed to the warning voices of his advisors.
Literary Präteritum.
Es ist darauf zu achten, dass keine Missverständnisse entstehen.
Care must be taken to ensure that no misunderstandings arise.
Formal passive construction.
자주 쓰는 조합
자주 쓰는 구문
자주 혼동되는 단어
관용어 및 표현
혼동하기 쉬운
To take note of/follow rules (transitive).
To watch something for a long time.
The opposite: to despise.
To consider/deem (formal).
An expert opinion (noun).
문장 패턴
사용법
Very high in both spoken and written German.
Achten auf = Attention; Achten = Respect.
- Using Dative: 'Achte auf dem Kind' (Correct: den Kind/das Kind).
- Confusing with 'beachten': 'Ich achte das Schild' (Correct: beachte).
- Omitting 'auf': 'Ich achte die Ampel' (Correct: auf die Ampel).
- Wrong conjugation: 'Er acht' (Correct: er achtet).
- Confusing with 'beobachten': 'Ich achte den Vogel' (Correct: beobachte).
팁
Accusative Reminder
Always use the accusative case after 'auf'. For example: 'auf den (not dem) Mann achten'.
Respect vs. Attention
If you leave out 'auf', you are talking about respect. 'Ich achte das Gesetz.'
Da-Compounds
Practice 'darauf achten'. It's the key to complex German sentences.
Imperative
Use 'Achte!' for friends and 'Achten Sie!' for strangers.
Public Safety
You will see 'Achtung' everywhere in Germany. It's the most important safety word.
Formal Letters
Use 'mit vorzüglicher Hochachtung' as a very formal closing (though rare now).
Train Stations
Listen for 'achten Sie auf die Lücke' (mind the gap) in German stations.
The 'Eye' Mnemonic
Imagine the 'a' in 'achten' is an eye looking at something.
Achten vs Beachten
Use 'beachten' for signs and 'achten auf' for moving things like cars.
Adverbs
Combine with 'besonders' (especially) to show what is important: 'Ich achte besonders auf...'
암기하기
기억법
ACHTEN sounds like 'Action'. You need to pay attention to the ACTION.
어원
Old High German 'ahtōn'
문화적 맥락
Germans are very strict about 'auf den Verkehr achten', especially at red lights.
Using 'achten' for respect is common in formal letters and speeches.
실생활에서 연습하기
실제 사용 상황
대화 시작하기
"Worauf achtest du beim Kauf eines Handys?"
"Achtest du auf eine gesunde Ernährung?"
"Wie wichtig ist es dir, dass andere deine Privatsphäre achten?"
"Worauf sollte man in deiner Stadt besonders achten?"
"Hast du früher mehr auf deine Noten geachtet?"
일기 주제
Schreibe darüber, worauf du heute besonders geachtet hast.
Warum ist es wichtig, die Meinung anderer zu achten?
Wie achtest du in deinem Alltag auf die Umwelt?
Beschreibe eine Situation, in der du nicht aufgepasst hast.
Was bedeutet 'Achtsamkeit' für dich?
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문No, only when it means 'to pay attention to'. When it means 'to respect', it takes a direct object.
The Accusative case follows 'auf' when used with 'achten'.
'Aufpassen' is more colloquial and common in daily life for 'watching out'. 'Achten' is slightly more formal or specific.
Yes, it means 'I respect you', but it sounds very formal. 'Ich respektiere dich' is more common.
Use 'Achte darauf, dass...'.
No, 'Achtung' is the noun form, but it's used as an interjection.
It means 'mindfulness', a very popular concept in Germany today.
It is a weak (regular) verb.
Only in the form 'erachten', which is very formal.
Use 'missachten'.
셀프 테스트 180 질문
What does 'Achtung' mean?
Does 'achten auf' take Accusative or Dative?
What is the past participle of achten?
What does 'peinlich genau' mean?
What is 'gegenseitige Achtung'?
What is 'unbedingt zu achten'?
What is the imperative for 'du'?
Is 'achten' regular?
What case follows 'auf'?
Is 'achten' used for 'obeying' rules?
What is 'Wortwahl'?
What is 'Autonomie'?
What is 'Achtung'?
What case is 'die Preise'?
What is 'darauf'?
What is 'Sicherheitsvorschriften'?
What is 'Vermächtnis'?
What is 'wechselseitig'?
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Mastering 'achten' requires distinguishing between 'paying attention' (auf + Accusative) and 'respecting' (direct object). It is a foundational verb for safety, health, and ethical communication in German.
- Achten means 'to pay attention' when used with 'auf' + Accusative.
- It means 'to respect' when used as a direct transitive verb.
- Commonly heard in public safety announcements (Achtung!).
- Crucial for describing health, traffic, and social interactions.
Accusative Reminder
Always use the accusative case after 'auf'. For example: 'auf den (not dem) Mann achten'.
Respect vs. Attention
If you leave out 'auf', you are talking about respect. 'Ich achte das Gesetz.'
Da-Compounds
Practice 'darauf achten'. It's the key to complex German sentences.
Imperative
Use 'Achte!' for friends and 'Achten Sie!' for strangers.
예시
Achte auf den Verkehr!
관련 콘텐츠
관련 표현
general 관련 단어
ab
A1〜부터. '내일부터 공부할 거야.' (Ab morgen werde ich lernen.)
abends
A2저녁에 / 저녁마다. '저녁에 책을 읽어요.'
aber
A1'aber'는 영어의 'but'에 해당하는 단어로, '하지만' 또는 '그러나'라는 뜻입니다.
abgelegen
B1remote
ablehnen
A2제안이나 초대를 거절하다. 그녀는 그의 초대를 거절했다.
abschließen
A2열쇠로 잠그다. 학업을 마치거나 계약을 체결하다.
abseits
A2abseits는 주요 장소나 평소 다니는 길에서 떨어진 곳에 있다는 뜻이에요.
acht
A1숫자 8 (여덟).
Achte
A1여덟 번째 (서수).
achtzehn
A1열여덟. 개수나 양을 셀 때 사용합니다. '저는 열여덟 살입니다' 또는 '열여덟 시입니다'와 같이 사용됩니다.
