careful / gentle
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careful / gentle
Acting in a very careful, gentle, and considerate way so as not to damage anything or hurt anyone.
Er legte das schlafende Baby behutsam in sein Bettchen.
He gently placed the sleeping baby in its little bed.
The word is derived from the old German word 'Hut' in the sense of 'protection, care, guardianship'. So 'behutsam' (careful/gentle) literally means 'full of care' or 'protective'.
Die Mutter wachte behutsam über den Schlaf ihres Kindes.
The mother carefully watched over her child's sleep.
Although it is an adjective, 'behutsam' (careful/gentle) is very often used as an adverb. It then describes the way in which an action is carried out.
Sie öffnete behutsam die alte, zerbrechliche Vase.
She carefully opened the old, fragile vase.
'Behutsam' (careful/gentle) is often combined with verbs that describe a careful action. Typical phrases are: 'behutsam mit etwas umgehen' (to handle something carefully), 'etwas behutsam anfassen' (to touch something carefully), 'etwas behutsam ablegen' (to set something down carefully), or 'behutsam sprechen' (to speak gently).
Der Arzt erklärte dem Patienten behutsam die Diagnose.
The doctor gently explained the diagnosis to the patient.
quiet
'leise' and 'behutsam' can both describe a gentle manner. The difference lies in the focus: 'leise' emphasizes that something happens in a barely audible or barely noticeable way. 'behutsam' emphasizes that someone acts carefully and considerately so that nothing breaks or no one gets hurt. For sounds, 'leise' is more natural. When the careful action is important, 'behutsam' fits better.
Der Arzt nahm den Verband behutsam ab.
The doctor gently removed the bandage.
Lisa öffnete die Tür leise, weil das Kind schon schlief.
Lisa opened the door quietly because the child was already asleep.