respetar
verbCEFR B2
What does “respetar” mean in English?
to respect; to comply with
to respect; to comply with (respetar a alguien — esteem; respetar un acuerdo — honour/comply with)
Example sentences
Todas las partes firmantes acordaron respetar los términos del acuerdo de forma íntegra.
All the signatory parties agreed to respect the terms of the agreement in full.
Hay que respetar la opinión de los demás aunque no coincida con la propia.
One must respect other people's opinions even when they differ from one's own.
How to use it
Respetar means 'to respect' — both to esteem someone and to comply with rules. Structure: respetar a alguien (esteem a person); respetar + norm/agreement (comply with). The compliance sense is very important at B2 in legal and institutional registers.
Common mistake
Respetar covers both 'esteem' and 'comply with'. In formal/legal contexts, respetar un acuerdo = honour/comply with an agreement. Cumplir (comply/fulfil) is the more specific verb for obligations; respetar adds an ethical dimension.