Translations

8 languages
Українська
By meaning 1
to notice, to watch — see also notice:
Русский
By meaning 3
to follow:
to notice, to watch — see also notice:
to comment:
Deutsch
By meaning 3
to follow:
to notice, to watch — see also notice:
to comment:

Examples

378 sentences

  1. We must observe the rules.

    Ми маємо дотримуватися правил. — shanghainese

    ruМы должны соблюдать правила. — axxeny

    deWir müssen uns an die Regeln halten. — jakov

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. I observed that his hands were unsteady.

    Я помітив, що в нього тремтять руки. — uaspeaker

    ruЯ заметил, что у него дрожат руки. — Hellerick

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. I like to observe people.

    Мені подобається спостерігати за людьми. — deniko

    ruЯ люблю наблюдать за людьми. — marafon

    Opiejay888 · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Meaning

4 senses

  1. (transitive)To take note of and celebrate (a holiday or similar occurrence), to keep; to follow (a type of time or calendar reckoning).

    beobachten

    наблюда́тьnabljudátʹ

    спостеріга́тиsposteriháty, нагляда́тиnahljadáty, назира́тиnazyráty

  2. (transitive)To follow or obey the custom, practice, or rules (especially of a religion).

    Please observe all posted speed limits.

    beachten, halten

    соблюда́тьsobljudátʹ, блюсти́bljustí, соблюсти́sobljustí

  3. (intransitive)To comment on something; to make an observation.

    The senator observed that the bill would be detrimental to his constituents.

    bemerken

    отмеча́тьotmečátʹ, отме́титьotmétitʹ

  4. (transitive)To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail.

    From this vantage point we can observe the behavior of the animals in their natural habitat.

    She got up before dawn to observe the lunar eclipse.

More definitions
  • discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of by perception with the eyes
  • make mention of
  • observe with care or pay close attention to
  • watch attentively

Origin

From Middle French observer, from Old French observer, from Latin observō (“to watch”), fr

From Middle French observer, from Old French observer, from Latin observō (“to watch”), from ob- (“before”) + servō (“to keep”), from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to guard”). Cognate with Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐍂𐍅𐌰 (sarwa, “weapons, armour”), Old English searu (“device”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

observes, observing, observed, observed

regular · Lesson

Base formobserve · to observe
3rd person singularobserves
Present participleobserving
Past simpleobserved
Past participleobserved

Tenses

observe · observed · will observe · have observed

Point at a form to see it in a sentence.Tap a form to see it in a sentence.

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyobserve
he, she, itobserves

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave observed
he, she, ithas observed

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill observe

Past simpleLesson

all personsobserved

Synonyms

19 synonyms
To follow or obey the custom, practice, or rules:celebrateA1
Close in meaning

Word family

7 related words
Relatedobservableobservantobserverobservationobservance
Derivedobservationalobservatory

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
observantobservationB1observationalobservatoryobserverB2obsessB2obsessionB2obsessiveB2

Dictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.

observe — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto