How do you use "pay attention" in a sentence?

Please pay attention to what I am saying. She was not paying attention in class. You need to pay more attention to the details.

pay attention

Collocation BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Neutral

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Significado: To concentrate carefully on what someone is saying or doing

集中注意力

prestar atención

注意を払う

주의를 기울이다

We say 'pay attention' not 'give attention' or 'put attention'. The verb 'pay' is the fixed collocating verb — you 'pay' attention as if it were a cost.

我们说'pay attention'而不是'give attention'或'put attention'。动词'pay'是固定搭配——你像付出代价一样'pay'注意力。

Decimos 'pay attention' y no 'give attention' ni 'put attention'. El verbo 'pay' es el verbo fijo de la colocación: se 'paga' atención como si fuera un coste.

'give attention'や'put attention'ではなく'pay attention'と言います。動詞'pay'は固定されたコロケーション動詞で、注意力を代価のように「支払う」のです。

'give attention'이나 'put attention'이 아니라 'pay attention'이라고 합니다. 동사 'pay'가 고정 연어 동사로, 마치 비용을 지불하듯이 주의를 'pay(지불)'합니다.

Ejemplos

Please pay attention to what I am saying.
请注意听我说的话。
Por favor, presta atención a lo que digo.
私が言っていることに注意を払ってください。
제가 하는 말에 주의를 기울여 주세요.
She was not paying attention in class.
她上课时没有集中注意力。
No estaba prestando atención en clase.
彼女は授業中注意を払っていませんでした。
그녀는 수업 중에 주의를 기울이지 않았다.
You need to pay more attention to the details.
你需要更加注意细节。
Necesitas prestar más atención a los detalles.
もっと細部に注意を払う必要があります。
세부 사항에 더 주의를 기울여야 합니다.

Pronunciación

Guía de uso

Contexto: education, general, work

Tono: directive

✓ Correcto

Pay attention, please.
请集中注意力。
Presta atención, por favor.
注意を払ってください。
주의를 기울여 주세요.
She needs to pay more attention.
她需要更加集中注意力。
Necesita prestar más atención.
彼女はもっと注意を払う必要があります。
그녀는 좀 더 주의를 기울여야 합니다.

✗ Incorrecto

Give attention, please. (use 'pay' not 'give' with attention)
请give attention。（注意力要用'pay'而不是'give'）
Give attention, por favor. (se usa 'pay' y no 'give' con attention)
Give attentionしてください。（attentionには'give'ではなく'pay'を使います）
Give attention 해주세요. (attention에는 'give'가 아니라 'pay'를 씁니다)
Put attention, please. (use 'pay' not 'put' with attention)
请put attention。（注意力要用'pay'而不是'put'）
Put attention, por favor. (se usa 'pay' y no 'put' con attention)
Put attentionしてください。（attentionには'put'ではなく'pay'を使います）
Put attention 해주세요. (attention에는 'put'이 아니라 'pay'를 씁니다)

Origen e historia

Natural English collocation — 'pay' with 'attention' dates back to the 18th century, treating attention as something of value given to another.

Contexto cultural

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

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