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.
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 lay
'Wert legen auf' and 'achten auf' can both show that something is important. The difference is in the focus. When you 'Wert auf etwas legen', you consider that thing important, for example punctuality or good food. When you 'auf etwas achten', you actively pay attention to or check something so that it is correct or not forgotten. The words can be confused because both are often used with 'auf'. As a simple guide: 'Wert legen auf' describes what is important to you; 'achten auf' describes what you direct your attention to.
Das Team achtet heute besonders auf die Sicherheit im Gebäude.
Today, the team is paying special attention to safety in the building.
Bei Bewerbungen legt Frau Becker viel Wert auf klare Sprache.
When it comes to applications, Ms. Becker places great value on clear language.