die Achtung
respect
A feeling of respect, appreciation, and recognition toward a person, an achievement, or a thing.
EXAMPLE
Er genießt hohe Achtung bei seinen Kollegen.
He enjoys great respect among his colleagues.
die Achtung
respect / attention
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Meanings
Achtung!
Attention!
An exclamation or sign that serves as a warning or calls for attention.
EXAMPLE
Achtung, Stufe! Bitte seien Sie vorsichtig.
Attention, step! Please be careful.
außer Acht lassen
to disregard
To fail to take something into account, ignore it, or neglect it.
EXAMPLE
Bei deiner Planung hast du einen wichtigen Punkt außer Acht gelassen.
In your planning, you disregarded an important point.
Usage tips
Word family
'Die Achtung' is the noun corresponding to the verb 'achten'. The verb can mean both 'respektieren' (to respect) and 'aufpassen' (to pay attention/be careful), which explains the different meanings of the noun.
EXAMPLE
Man sollte die Regeln achten und ihnen Achtung schenken.
One should respect the rules and show them respect.
Context clues
You can recognize the meaning from context: As the exclamation 'Achtung!' it is a warning. In the expression 'außer Acht lassen' (to disregard), it means 'ignorieren' (to ignore). In combination with verbs like 'haben' (to have), 'genießen' (to enjoy), or 'zollen' (to pay/show), it means 'Respekt' (respect).
EXAMPLE
Er hat große Achtung vor seiner Lehrerin.
He has great respect for his teacher.
Typical collocations
When 'Achtung' means respect, it is often used with the preposition 'vor' and the dative. Typical verbs are 'Achtung haben vor' (to have respect for), 'jemandem Achtung entgegenbringen' (to show someone respect), or 'Achtung zollen' (to pay respect).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe große Achtung vor seiner Leistung.
I have great respect for his achievement.
Use as a warning
As a warning, 'Achtung!' is often used on its own as an exclamation or on signs. It is always accompanied by an exclamation mark.
EXAMPLE
Achtung! Hier fahren Züge.
Attention! Trains pass through here.
Fixed expression
The expression 'außer Acht lassen' (to disregard) is a fixed phrase. The object that is being ignored usually comes in the middle of the expression.
EXAMPLE
Wir dürfen die Kosten nicht außer Acht lassen.
We must not disregard the costs.
Compare with
Achtung vs Respekt
respect
Both words describe an appreciative attitude toward a person or achievement. „Respekt“ can additionally express recognition of authority, difficulty, or possible danger, while „Achtung“ often sounds more like deep esteem. Use „Respekt“ for impressive strength or authority and „Achtung“ for special appreciation.
Achtung
Für ihre jahrelange Arbeit genießt die Forscherin die Achtung ihrer Kollegen.
The researcher enjoys the respect of her colleagues for her many years of work.
Respekt
Vor der schwierigen Aufgabe hatte ich großen Respekt, aber ich nahm die Herausforderung an.
I had great respect for the difficult task, but I accepted the challenge.
In real life
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