respetar
“respetar” means “to respect” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to respect
Also: to admire, to value
📝 In Action
Debes respetar a tus mayores, siempre tienen algo que enseñar.
A2You should respect your elders; they always have something to teach.
Ella respeta mucho la opinión de su padre.
A1She greatly respects her father's opinion.
Los niños aprenden a respetar el medio ambiente en la escuela.
B1Children learn to respect the environment in school.
to abide by, to observe
Also: to keep to
📝 In Action
Todos los conductores deben respetar los límites de velocidad.
B1All drivers must abide by the speed limits.
Es importante respetar el horario de silencio en el hotel.
B2It is important to observe the quiet hours in the hotel.
El contrato obliga a respetar los términos de la entrega.
C1The contract requires adhering to the delivery terms.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: respetar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'respetar' in the sense of 'following a rule' rather than 'showing deference'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *respectare*, which means 'to look back at repeatedly,' or 'to regard.' The idea is that you look back at someone or something because you hold them in high esteem.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is 'respetar' different from 'obedecer' (to obey)?
'Respetar' is broader, focusing on showing high regard, valuing something, or keeping a boundary (like respecting the law). 'Obedecer' is specifically about following orders or complying with a person's authority (like obeying your parents). You 'respetas' a rule, but you usually 'obedeces' a person.
Is 'respetar' a regular verb?
Yes, 'respetar' is a completely regular -AR verb. Once you know how to conjugate basic -AR verbs (like 'hablar' or 'cantar'), you can conjugate 'respetar' perfectly in every tense.