missachten
to disregard
To deliberately ignore or fail to follow a rule, law, instruction, or order.
EXAMPLE
Wer die rote Ampel missachtet, riskiert einen schweren Unfall.
Anyone who disregards a red light risks a serious accident.
missachten
to disregard
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Meanings
missachten
to disregard
To show a person no respect or regard; to look down on or ignore someone.
EXAMPLE
Er fühlte sich von seinen Kollegen missachtet, da sie seine Vorschläge nie ernst nahmen.
He felt disregarded by his colleagues because they never took his suggestions seriously.
Usage tips
Word structure
The verb consists of the prefix 'miss-' and the verb 'achten' (to respect/pay attention to). The prefix 'miss-' always expresses something negative or wrong, as also in 'Missverständnis' (misunderstanding) or 'misslingen' (to fail). So 'missachten' (to disregard) literally means not to give someone or something the necessary respect or attention.
EXAMPLE
Er hat meine Anweisungen komplett missachtet.
He completely disregarded my instructions.
Inseparable verb
'Missachten' (to disregard) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'miss-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem in all tenses and sentence constructions.
EXAMPLE
Sie missachtet die Verkehrsregeln.
She disregards the traffic rules.
Sentence structure with accusative
The verb 'missachten' (to disregard) always requires a direct object in the accusative. You ask: Whom or what is being disregarded? This object is the person, rule, or thing that is being ignored.
EXAMPLE
Der Radfahrer missachtete das Stoppschild.
The cyclist disregarded the stop sign.
Typical collocations
When it is about rules, 'missachten' (to disregard) is often combined with nouns such as 'Gesetz' (law), 'Vorschrift' (regulation), 'Befehl' (order), or 'Warnung' (warning).
EXAMPLE
Wer die Sicherheitsvorschriften missachtet, gefährdet sich und andere.
Anyone who disregards the safety regulations endangers themselves and others.
Compare with
missachten vs verletzen
to injure / hurt / violate
Both verbs can be used when a rule is not followed. Missachten emphasizes that someone deliberately ignores the rule; verletzen refers to the violation that results. When the focus is on deliberately disregarding the rule, missachten is appropriate; for the violation itself, verletzen is more suitable.
missachten
Obwohl er die Anweisung kennt, missachtet er die Sicherheitsregel und öffnet die Tür.
Although he knows the instruction, he disregards the safety rule and opens the door.
verletzen
Indem er die gesperrte Tür öffnet, verletzt er die Sicherheitsregel.
By opening the door marked off-limits, he violates the safety rule.
In real life
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