to pay attention / to respect
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to pay attention to
To direct one's attention to something or someone in order to be careful or notice something.
Bitte achte auf die rote Ampel, bevor du über die Straße gehst.
Please pay attention to the red traffic light before you cross the street.
to respect
To respect and value someone or something. To have a high opinion of someone's character, abilities, or achievements.
Ich achte ihn sehr für seine Ehrlichkeit und seine Bereitschaft, anderen zu helfen.
I respect him greatly for his honesty and his willingness to help others.
The preposition 'auf' changes the meaning completely. 'Auf etwas achten' means 'to pay attention' or 'to be careful'. Without a preposition, 'jemanden achten' means roughly 'to respect someone'.
Achte auf den Hund, er ist nicht immer freundlich!
Watch out for the dog; he isn't always friendly!
The verb 'achten' is the basis for the noun 'die Achtung' (respect; attention) and the adjective 'achtsam' (attentive, mindful). The exclamation 'Achtung!' means 'Watch out!' or 'Caution!'.
Achtung, der Boden ist rutschig!
Caution, the floor is slippery!
In the meaning 'to pay attention / to make sure', the construction 'darauf achten, dass ...' is often used. It is followed by a subordinate clause that describes what should be observed or taken care of.
Achte bitte darauf, dass du die Tür abschließt, wenn du gehst.
Please make sure that you lock the door when you leave.
When you respect someone for a particular quality, you use the preposition 'für' followed by the accusative. The verb is often strengthened by adverbs such as 'sehr' (very much) or 'hoch' (highly).
Sie wird von allen für ihre Kompetenz hoch geachtet.
She is highly respected by everyone for her competence.
to estimate / appreciate
Achten and schätzen can both express a positive opinion of a person. Achten tends to emphasize respect and a high opinion of someone's character or achievements, while schätzen can additionally express personal appreciation or affection. Use achten for pure respect and often schätzen when there is a more personal connection.
Ich achte meine Lehrerin, weil sie immer fair und geduldig ist.
I respect my teacher because she is always fair and patient.
Ich schätze meine Lehrerin besonders, weil sie sich viel Zeit für mich nimmt.
I especially appreciate my teacher because she takes a lot of time for me.
