Achtung

Achtung is a German interjection used to urge attention or warn of danger. In everyday language it functions similarly to “attention!”, “heads up!”, or “watch out!” in English and appears on signs, announcements, and safety instructions to prompt immediate awareness.

Originating from the verb achten (“to regard, to heed”), the noun Achtung originally carried the sense of “heed” or “regard” and is now used for both “attention” and “caution.” It is capitalized as a noun in German.

In addition to its linguistic use, Achtung has appeared in popular culture. The most famous example is the title of U2’s 1991 studio album Achtung Baby, produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, which uses the German word to convey a sense of warning and reinvention. The term also often appears in German-language media and signage to maintain a concise, emphatic warning tone.

Usage notes: In German, the tone of Achtung can range from neutral to urgent, depending on context and punctuation. In translation, it may be rendered as “Attention!” or “Caution!” whereas “Bitte achten Sie darauf” would mean “Please pay attention.”