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German Phrase

Respektiere den persönlichen Raum.

/ʁɛsˈpɛktiːʁə deːn pɛʁˈzøːnlɪçən ʁaʊm/
Meaning"Respect personal space."
💡

Meaning

A direct request or instruction meaning 'Respect personal space.' It tells someone to keep a respectful distance and not intrude on your personal bubble.

🎯

When to use

Use this phrase when you feel someone is standing too close, on public transport, in a queue, or in any situation where personal boundaries are being ignored. It works both in casual and semi‑formal settings, especially when you want to be clear but polite.

✦Grammar Breakdown

RespektieredenpersönlichenRaum

1

Imperative (du) of 'respektieren'

The verb 'respektieren' is regular; the du‑imperative drops the -st ending, giving 'Respektiere'.

2

Definite article 'den'

In the accusative case, masculine nouns take the article 'den'.

3

Adjective weak declension

After a definite article in the accusative masculine, the adjective takes the ending '-en' → 'persönlichen'.

4

Noun 'Raum'

Masculine noun meaning 'space' or 'room', used here to refer to personal space.

🗨In Conversation

A

Respektiere den persönlichen Raum.

Respect personal space.

Entschuldigung, das war nicht meine Absicht.

Sorry, that wasn’t my intention.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Respektieren den persönlichen Raum.

    The infinitive cannot be used as a command; you need the imperative form 'Respektiere'.

  • Respektiere der persönlichen Raum.

    The article must be accusative masculine 'den', not nominative 'der'.

  • Respektiere den persönliche Raum.

    After a definite article in the accusative masculine, the adjective takes '-en', not '-e'.

↔Alternatives

  • Halte Abstand.

    Keep your distance.

  • Achte auf den persönlichen Abstand.

    Pay attention to personal distance.

  • Bitte respektiere meine Privatsphäre.

    Please respect my privacy.

de

Cultural Tip

In German‑speaking countries personal space is highly valued, especially in public transport and professional environments. While Germans are generally direct, using the polite imperative with a calm tone helps keep the interaction respectful. In southern regions (Bavaria, Austria) you might hear a softer version like 'Bitte ein bisschen Abstand halten.'