When you show der Respekt for someone or something, it means you have a high opinion of them and their qualities. It's about valuing their worth or abilities. For example, you might have Respekt for an older person's wisdom or for a person who has achieved a lot.
It can also mean a sense of consideration or esteem. If you say, "Ich habe Respekt vor deiner Meinung," you're showing that you value their opinion, even if it differs from your own. It's a fundamental part of polite and cooperative interactions in German culture.
How Formal Is It?
"Wir zollen den Leistungen unserer Vorfahren Achtung. (We pay respect to the achievements of our ancestors.)"
"Man sollte älteren Menschen Respekt entgegenbringen. (One should show respect to older people.)"
"Ich hab' echt Ehrgeiz vor seiner Leistung. (I really have ambition/respect for his achievement.)"
"Zeig deinem Freund Anerkennung für seine Hilfe. (Show your friend appreciation/respect for his help.)"
"Ich hab' Bammel vor dem großen Spiel. (I have stage fright/respect for the big game.)"
Examples by Level
Man sollte älteren Menschen stets den gebührenden Respekt entgegenbringen.
One should always show older people the due respect.
entgegenbringen (to show, to offer) is a separable verb here.
Sein Respekt vor der Natur war offensichtlich, da er sich stets um ihren Schutz bemühte.
His respect for nature was obvious, as he always strived for its protection.
sich bemühen um (to strive for, to endeavor to do something)
Trotz ihrer Meinungsverschiedenheiten behielten sie stets den Respekt voreinander bei.
Despite their disagreements, they always maintained respect for each other.
beibehalten (to maintain, to retain) is a separable verb.
Der Künstler erlangte den Respekt seiner Kollegen durch seine außergewöhnliche Arbeit.
The artist gained the respect of his colleagues through his exceptional work.
erlangen (to attain, to gain)
Sie sprach mit großem Respekt über die Leistungen ihrer Mentoren.
She spoke with great respect about the achievements of her mentors.
sprechen über (to speak about/of)
Es ist wichtig, die kulturellen Unterschiede mit Respekt zu behandeln.
It is important to treat cultural differences with respect.
behandeln (to treat)
Der Lehrer forderte von seinen Schülern gegenseitigen Respekt ein.
The teacher demanded mutual respect from his students.
einfordern (to demand, to claim) is a separable verb.
Sein Verhalten zeugte von tiefem Respekt für die Traditionen des Landes.
His behavior testified to deep respect for the traditions of the country.
zeugen von (to bear witness to, to testify to)
Die Wahrung des Respekts vor anderen Kulturen ist ein Eckpfeiler des friedlichen Zusammenlebens.
Maintaining respect for other cultures is a cornerstone of peaceful coexistence.
Wahrung (preservation/maintenance), Eckpfeiler (cornerstone), Zusammenlebens (coexistence)
Sein respektloses Verhalten gegenüber der Autorität führte zu ernsten Konsequenzen.
His disrespectful behavior towards authority led to serious consequences.
respektlos (disrespectful), gegenüber (towards), Autorität (authority), Konsequenzen (consequences)
Ich habe großen Respekt vor ihrer Fähigkeit, unter Druck ruhig zu bleiben und rationale Entscheidungen zu treffen.
I have great respect for her ability to stay calm and make rational decisions under pressure.
Fähigkeit (ability), unter Druck (under pressure), ruhig (calm), rationale Entscheidungen (rational decisions)
Der gegenseitige Respekt zwischen den Teammitgliedern ist entscheidend für den Erfolg des Projekts.
Mutual respect between team members is crucial for the success of the project.
gegenseitig (mutual), entscheidend (crucial), Erfolg (success), Projekt (project)
Es ist wichtig, den Respekt vor der Natur und ihren Ressourcen zu pflegen.
It is important to cultivate respect for nature and its resources.
pflegen (to cultivate/nurture), Natur (nature), Ressourcen (resources)
Trotz ihrer Differenzen behielten sie einen professionellen Respekt voreinander bei.
Despite their differences, they maintained a professional respect for each other.
trotz (despite), Differenzen (differences), behielten bei (maintained), voreinander (for each other)
Man kann nur Respekt erwarten, wenn man ihn auch selbst entgegenbringt.
One can only expect respect if one also offers it oneself.
erwarten (to expect), entgegenbringen (to offer/show), selbst (oneself)
Ihr unermüdlicher Einsatz für die Gemeinschaft hat ihr den Respekt aller eingebracht.
Her tireless commitment to the community earned her the respect of everyone.
unermüdlich (tireless), Einsatz (commitment/effort), Gemeinschaft (community), eingebracht (earned/brought in)
Often Confused With
This is an adjective meaning 'respectful' or 'reverent'. It's related to 'Achtung' but specifies the manner of showing respect rather than the feeling itself.
This is the verb 'to respect'. It's the action form of 'der Respekt'.
This is an adjective meaning 'disrespectful'. It's the opposite of 'respektvoll' (respectful).
Easily Confused
'Achtung' can mean 'respect' but often implies a warning or attention, leading to confusion with 'der Respekt'. 'Achtung!' is a common exclamation for 'Attention!' or 'Watch out!'
While 'Achtung' can denote respect, it's frequently used in contexts requiring caution or notice. 'Der Respekt' solely means respect or deference.
Achtung vor dem Alter. (Respect for age.) - Achtung! Aufzug fährt ab! (Attention! Elevator departing!)
'Ehrfurcht' translates to 'awe' or 'reverence,' which are strong forms of respect, making it easy to overuse when 'der Respekt' is more appropriate.
'Ehrfurcht' suggests a profound, often almost spiritual, respect or awe, usually towards something grand or powerful. 'Der Respekt' is a more general term for respect in everyday situations.
Sie empfindet Ehrfurcht vor der Natur. (She feels awe for nature.) - Ich habe großen Respekt vor seinen Leistungen. (I have great respect for his achievements.)
'Wertschätzung' means 'appreciation' or 'esteem,' which are similar to respect but focus more on valuing something or someone.
'Wertschätzung' emphasizes the act of valuing or appreciating someone's worth or contributions. 'Der Respekt' is a broader term for showing deference or high regard.
Wir zeigen unsere Wertschätzung für seine Arbeit. (We show our appreciation for his work.) - Zeig Respekt vor deinen Eltern. (Show respect for your parents.)
'Hochachtung' means 'high esteem' or 'great respect,' leading learners to use it when 'der Respekt' would suffice or be more natural.
'Hochachtung' is a stronger, more formal term for respect, indicating a very high regard. 'Der Respekt' is more common and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
Ich habe Hochachtung vor seinem Mut. (I have great respect for his courage.) - Er verdient Respekt für seine Ehrlichkeit. (He deserves respect for his honesty.)
'Rücksicht' means 'consideration' or 'thoughtfulness,' which are aspects of showing respect but are not direct synonyms for 'der Respekt'.
'Rücksicht' focuses on being considerate of others' feelings or needs. 'Der Respekt' is about showing honor or deference to someone or something.
Nimm Rücksicht auf ältere Menschen. (Be considerate of older people.) - Er hat viel Respekt vor seinem Lehrer. (He has a lot of respect for his teacher.)
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsThe most common way to say 'respect' in German is der Respekt. It's a masculine noun.
Yes, der Respekt is always a masculine noun. This means you'll use 'der' as its definite article in the nominative case.
Yes, der Respekt can also convey the meaning of 'admiration' or high regard, similar to English.
You can use it like this: 'Ich habe Respekt vor seiner Arbeit.' (I have respect for his work.) Or: 'Sie hat viel Respekt für ihren Lehrer.' (She has a lot of respect for her teacher.)
Actually, der Respekt is mostly used in the singular. While a plural form 'die Respekte' technically exists, it's very uncommon and usually sounds unnatural. Think of it as a concept that's generally singular.
Yes, the verb is respektieren, meaning 'to respect'. For example: 'Ich respektiere deine Meinung.' (I respect your opinion.)
The adjective is respektvoll, meaning 'respectful'. For instance: 'Er ist ein respektvoller Mensch.' (He is a respectful person.)
Yes, der Respekt is a very common and important word in everyday German. You'll encounter it frequently.
A common phrase is 'Respekt haben vor...' (to have respect for...). Another one is 'jemandem Respekt zollen' (to pay respect to someone).
While both can mean 'respect', Respekt often implies a deeper, more personal admiration or high regard. Achtung can also mean 'attention' or 'caution' and sometimes refers to a more formal or general respect for rules or authority.
Test Yourself 30 questions
Wir sollten immer ___ vor älteren Menschen haben. (We should always have ___ for older people.)
'Respekt' means respect, which fits the context of respecting older people. The other options mean fear, joy, and worry, respectively.
Er zeigt keinen ___ für die Regeln. (He shows no ___ for the rules.)
'Respekt' means respect. Showing no respect for rules is a common phrase. The other options mean love, money, and luck, respectively.
Sie hat großen ___ vor ihrer Lehrerin. (She has great ___ for her teacher.)
'Respekt' means respect, which is appropriate when talking about a teacher. The other options mean hunger, thirst, and tiredness, respectively.
Mit ___ behandeln wir alle. (With ___ we treat everyone.)
'Respekt' means respect. Treating everyone with respect is a positive action. The other options mean anger, sadness, and hatred, respectively.
Zeig etwas ___ für die Arbeit anderer. (Show some ___ for the work of others.)
'Respekt' means respect. Showing respect for others' work is a good attitude. The other options mean criticism, indifference, and rejection, respectively.
Der Sportler hat viel ___ von seinen Fans bekommen. (The athlete received a lot of ___ from his fans.)
'Respekt' means respect. Athletes often receive respect from their fans. The other options mean gifts, food, and clothing, respectively.
Welches Wort ist ein Synonym für 'der Respekt'?
'Die Achtung' bedeutet 'respect' oder 'esteem', was ein passendes Synonym für 'der Respekt' ist. Die anderen Optionen bedeuten Angst (fear), Hass (hatred) und Freude (joy) und passen hier nicht.
Was bedeutet 'Respekt zeigen'?
'Respekt zeigen' bedeutet, höflich und anständig zu sein. Die anderen Optionen sind 'wütend sein' (to be angry), 'traurig sein' (to be sad) und 'müde sein' (to be tired).
Wähle den Satz, der 'Respekt' korrekt verwendet.
Man hat Respekt vor Personen, nicht vor leblosen Objekten oder Konzepten wie Stühlen, Wetter oder Farben. 'Ich habe Respekt vor meinem Lehrer' bedeutet 'I have respect for my teacher'.
Man kann Respekt vor einer Person haben, die man bewundert.
Ja, Bewunderung ist oft mit Respekt verbunden. Wenn man jemanden bewundert, hat man normalerweise auch Respekt vor dieser Person.
'Respekt' ist ein deutsches Wort für 'Angst'.
Nein, 'Respekt' bedeutet 'respect' oder 'admiration', während 'Angst' 'fear' bedeutet. Sie sind nicht dasselbe.
Man verwendet 'der Respekt' immer mit dem Artikel 'die'.
Nein, 'Respekt' ist ein maskulines Nomen, daher verwendet man den Artikel 'der'. Der Satz sagt, man verwendet 'die', was falsch ist.
This sentence means 'I have respect for my parents.' The German structure for 'respect for someone' is 'Respekt vor jemandem haben'.
This sentence means 'She shows respect for everyone.' 'Respekt zeigen' means 'to show respect'.
This sentence means 'We speak with respect about him.' 'Mit Respekt' translates to 'with respect'.
The speaker expresses strong admiration for someone.
The sentence is about showing deference to elders.
This sentence talks about someone's high regard for her teacher.
Read this aloud:
Zeig Respekt!
Focus: Re-spekt
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Er hat Respekt verdient.
Focus: ver-dient
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Haben Sie Respekt vor der Natur?
Focus: Na-tur
You said:
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This sentence means: We should always have respect for elders. The structure follows subject-verb-adverb-noun-prepositional phrase.
This sentence means: Show respect for other opinions. It's an imperative sentence starting with the verb.
This sentence means: He has a lot of respect for his teachers. The verb 'hat' is in the second position, followed by the direct object 'viel Respekt' and then the prepositional phrase.
/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
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