der Gehorsam
obedience
The willingness or act of following the instructions, orders, or rules of a person in authority or a system.
EXAMPLE
In der Armee wird unbedingter Gehorsam verlangt.
In the army, absolute obedience is required.
der Gehorsam
obedience
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word family
'Der Gehorsam' (obedience) is the noun related to the verb 'gehorchen' (to obey). Both words describe the act of following instructions.
EXAMPLE
Der Hund lernt in der Hundeschule, zu gehorchen.
The dog learns to obey at dog school.
Typical verbs
'Gehorsam' (obedience) is often combined with certain verbs. You can say 'Gehorsam leisten' (to obey / to render obedience) or 'Gehorsam fordern' or 'Gehorsam verlangen' (to demand obedience) from someone.
EXAMPLE
Von den Soldaten wird erwartet, dass sie ihren Vorgesetzten Gehorsam leisten.
The soldiers are expected to obey their superiors.
Correct preposition
When you want to express whom someone is obedient toward, you use the preposition 'gegenüber' (toward) with the dative.
EXAMPLE
Er zeigte Gehorsam gegenüber seinen Eltern.
He showed obedience toward his parents.
Typical adjectives
'Gehorsam' (obedience) is often specified more closely by adjectives that describe the extent of it. Common combinations are 'unbedingter Gehorsam' (absolute obedience) or 'blinder Gehorsam' (blind obedience), which mean total submission without objection.
EXAMPLE
Die Sekte verlangte blinden Gehorsam von ihren Mitgliedern.
The sect demanded blind obedience from its members.
Compare with
Gehorsam vs brav
well-behaved
Both expressions can be used when someone follows an instruction. „Brav“ gives an overall positive assessment of the expected behavior and often sounds friendly, while „Gehorsam“ explicitly refers to the willingness or act of following an authority. Use „brav“ for a person and „Gehorsam“ for the behavior or attitude.
Gehorsam
Der Gehorsam des Kindes gegenüber der Anweisung fiel den Eltern sofort auf.
The child’s obedience to the instruction was immediately noticed by the parents.
brav
Das Kind war brav und räumte sein Zimmer nach der Anweisung auf.
The child behaved well and tidied their room after being told to.
In real life
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