Respektieren

Respektieren is a German verb meaning to regard someone or something with respect, to esteem, or to observe and comply with rules, norms, or expectations. It can refer to interpersonal respect toward a person, deference toward authority, or the compliance with laws and agreements.

Etymology and form: The word comes from Respekt, borrowed from English respect, and is formed with the German suffix -ieren, producing a regular verb. It is not a separable-prefix verb. Conjugation in the present tense is: ich respektiere, du respektierst, er/sie/es respektiert, wir respektieren, ihr respektiert, sie respektieren. The simple past is respektierte; the present perfect is hat respektiert, and the past participle is respektiert.

Usage: With a direct object, as in: ich respektiere deine Entscheidung or wir respektieren die Umwelt, meaning to value or honor the decision or the environment. With the preposition vor to indicate respect toward a concept or person: Respekt vor Autorität, Respekt vor dem Gesetz. The phrase Respekt zeigen means to show respect. It can also mean to observe rules: die Verkehrsregeln respektieren. Distinctions: respektieren conveys esteem or deference; beachten or achten are often used for paying attention or noticing, with somewhat different nuance or formality.

See also: Respekt (noun), respektvoll (respectful), and related expressions in German usage across social and legal contexts.