How to Say "to respect" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to respect” is “respetar” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Debes respetar a tus mayores, siempre tienen algo que enseñar.
You should respect your elders; they always have something to teach.
Ella respeta mucho la opinión de su padre.
She greatly respects her father's opinion.
Los niños aprenden a respetar el medio ambiente en la escuela.
Children learn to respect the environment in school.
Direct Object Use
In Spanish, the verb 'respetar' almost always takes a direct object (the person or thing being respected). If the object is a person, use the 'personal a': 'Respeto a mi jefe' (I respect my boss).
Confusing 'Respetar' and 'Mirar'
Mistake: “No debes mirar a los ancianos.”
Correction: No debes faltar el respeto a los ancianos. ('Mirar' means 'to look at'; 'respetar' is about showing regard.)
Related Translations
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