disrespectful
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disrespectful
Showing behavior that disregards the feelings, dignity, rights, or authority of other people and shows no respect.
Seine respektlose Antwort auf die Frage des Professors sorgte für betretenes Schweigen.
His disrespectful answer to the professor's question caused an embarrassed silence.
The adjective is formed from the noun 'der Respekt' (respect) and the ending '-los' (-less). The ending '-los' means 'without', so 'respektlos' (disrespectful) literally means 'without respect'.
Sein Tonfall war unhöflich und respektlos.
His tone was rude and disrespectful.
To say toward whom someone is being disrespectful, you use the preposition 'gegenüber' (toward/to) with the dative. The preposition can stand before or after the noun or pronoun.
Er hat sich seinen Eltern gegenüber sehr respektlos verhalten.
He behaved very disrespectfully toward his parents.
Not only people can be 'respektlos' (disrespectful), but also their actions or words. Typical combinations are 'respektloses Verhalten' (disrespectful behavior), 'eine respektlose Antwort' (a disrespectful answer), or 'eine respektlose Geste' (a disrespectful gesture).
Das war eine wirklich respektlose Bemerkung von dir.
That was a really disrespectful remark from you.
impolite
Respektlos and unhöflich can both describe bad behavior toward other people. Unhöflich primarily emphasizes violating the rules of good manners. Respektlos places greater emphasis on a lack of regard for other people's feelings, dignity, rights, or authority. Choose the word according to the aspect that is particularly affected.
Seine respektlose Bemerkung verletzte die Würde der älteren Frau.
His disrespectful remark offended the elderly woman's dignity.
Es war unhöflich, die Begrüßung des Gastes zu ignorieren.
It was impolite to ignore the guest's greeting.
