to arouse / provoke
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to attract attention
To draw the attention of the public or of many people, often through something unusual or spectacular.
Mit seinem extravaganten Outfit erregte er überall Aufsehen.
With his extravagant outfit, he attracted attention everywhere.
'Erregen' (to arouse / provoke) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'er-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem 'regen' in all conjugated forms and sentence types.
Die Geschichte erregte bei den Zuhörern großes Mitleid.
The story provoked great pity among the listeners.
The expression 'Aufsehen erregen' (to attract attention / cause a stir) is a fixed collocation. It means to draw the attention of many people. 'Aufsehen' is always the accusative object here.
Der Künstler wollte mit seiner Aktion öffentliches Aufsehen erregen.
The artist wanted to attract public attention with his action.
In this meaning, the objects are usually abstract feelings or reactions. Typical examples are 'Mitleid erregen' (to arouse pity), 'Zweifel erregen' (to raise doubts), 'Ärger erregen' (to cause anger), or 'Neugier erregen' (to arouse curiosity).
Sein seltsames Verhalten erregte unseren Verdacht.
His strange behavior aroused our suspicion.
As a reflexive verb, 'sich erregen' means to get upset or become angry. It is often used with the preposition 'über' (about) and the accusative.
Er erregt sich immer über Kleinigkeiten im Straßenverkehr.
He always gets worked up about little things in traffic.
It is important to know that 'erregen' also has a sexual meaning. In relevant contexts, it means to sexually stimulate someone or to become stimulated.
Der Roman enthält einige Szenen, die als erregend beschrieben werden.
The novel contains some scenes that are described as arousing.
to stand out / to notice
'auffallen' and 'erregen' can both mean that something gets attention. 'auffallen' is more neutral and fits many everyday situations: a person, a mistake, or a color is noticed. In this meaning, 'erregen' is usually used in fixed combinations like 'Aufsehen erregen' (to attract attention / cause a stir) or 'Aufmerksamkeit erregen' (to attract attention). It sounds stronger and often more public, as if many people are reacting. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with attention. But 'auffallen' already fits small things, while 'Aufsehen erregen' tends to mean something unusual or spectacular.
Der Unfall vor dem Rathaus hat in der ganzen Stadt Aufsehen erregt.
The accident in front of city hall caused a stir throughout the whole city.
Herr Schmidt fällt beim Training durch seine ruhige Art sofort auf.
Mr. Schmidt immediately stands out during training because of his calm manner.