German Phrase
Hör dir ihre Anweisungen genau an.
Meaning
Literally, “Listen to her instructions carefully.” It is a direct, friendly command telling the listener to pay close attention to what she is saying.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to make sure someone follows a set of directions or safety rules that another person has just given. It works in both formal and informal settings, but the plain imperative can sound a bit strong, so you may add "bitte" to soften it.
✦Grammar Breakdown
HördirihreAnweisungengenauan
Imperativ (2. Person Singular)
The verb stem "hör" is the imperative form of "hören" for "du". No ending is added.
Reflexives Dativpronomen
"dir" is the dative reflexive pronoun that belongs to the verb "hören" when you tell someone to listen to something.
Trennbares Verb "anhören"
In the imperative the separable prefix "an" moves to the end of the clause: "Hör … an".
Akkusativobjekt
"ihre Anweisungen" is the direct object (accusative) of the verb.
Adverbial "genau"
"genau" modifies the verb phrase and is placed before the separable prefix.
🗨In Conversation
Hör dir meine Anweisungen genau an, bevor du losfährst.
Listen carefully to my instructions before you set off.
Keine Sorge, ich habe alles verstanden.
Don’t worry, I understood everything.
✕Common Mistakes
Hör du ihre Anweisungen genau an.
The reflexive pronoun must be in dative (dir), not the subject pronoun du.
Hören dir ihre Anweisungen genau an.
In the imperative the verb loses the infinitive ending; use "Hör" not "Hören".
Hör dir ihre Anweisungen genau an hören.
With separable verbs the prefix "an" goes to the end of the clause, not separated by a space.
Hör dir ihren Anweisungen genau an.
The object is accusative plural, so the correct article is "ihre" (no -n).
↔Alternatives
Achte genau auf ihre Anweisungen.
Pay close attention to her instructions.
Höre aufmerksam zu, was sie sagt.
Listen attentively to what she says.
Bitte hör dir ihre Anweisungen genau an.
Please listen carefully to her instructions.
Cultural Tip
In German, the imperative can feel abrupt. Adding "bitte" or using a softer construction like "Könntest du dir bitte ihre Anweisungen genau anhören?" makes the request more polite. Also, the adverb "genau" signals that precision matters – a common expectation in German workplaces and safety briefings.