Bitte sei aufmerksam.

Please pay attention.

Breakdown of Bitte sei aufmerksam.

• sein: to be
• bitte: please
• aufmerksam: attentive

Questions & Answers about Bitte sei aufmerksam.

What does sei mean here, and why not bist?

Sei is the imperative of sein (to be) for informal singular du. It issues a command/request: “Be attentive.”
You can’t use bist (you are) for commands; that’s indicative. Imperative forms of sein are irregular:

• du: Sei aufmerksam.
• ihr: Seid aufmerksam.
• Sie (formal): Seien Sie aufmerksam.
• inclusive: Seien wir aufmerksam. (“Let’s be attentive.”)

How do I say this to more than one person or in a formal way?

• To several people informally: Bitte seid aufmerksam.
• To one or more people formally: Bitte seien Sie aufmerksam. “Sie” must be capitalized in the formal address.

Where can I put bitte in the sentence?

All of these are correct, with slight nuance:

• Bitte sei aufmerksam. (neutral)
• Sei bitte aufmerksam. (slightly softer, the core request is fronted)
• Sei aufmerksam, bitte. (adds a polite tag at the end) With a pause, you can also write: Bitte, sei aufmerksam. (comma optional; more pleading/insistent tone)

Do I need an exclamation mark?

Not required.

• Bitte sei aufmerksam. (matter-of-fact, polite request)
• Bitte sei aufmerksam! (firmer or urgent)
  Use what matches your tone and context.

Is this sentence idiomatic, or would Germans say something else?

It’s correct and idiomatic, especially in written or careful speech (e.g., instructions, a teacher). In everyday talk, you’ll also hear:

• Pass bitte auf! (Pay attention!/Watch out!)
• Achte bitte auf mich/den Lehrer! (Pay attention to…)
• Konzentration, bitte! (More colloquial, in class or sports)

What’s the difference between aufmerksam, vorsichtig, wachsam, achtsam, and konzentriert?

• aufmerksam: attentive, paying attention to what’s happening (class, instructions, details).
• vorsichtig: careful, cautious to avoid danger or mistakes (using a knife).
• wachsam: vigilant/alert to potential threats (security, suspicious activity).
• achtsam: mindful, aware in a holistic or mindful-practice sense (breathing, feelings).
• konzentriert: focused on a task, mentally concentrated (studying, solving problems).

Is aufmerksam an adjective or an adverb here?

It’s an adjective used predicatively after sein: “to be attentive.” In German, the same base form also works adverbially:

• Er hört aufmerksam zu. (He listens attentively.)
  Predicative adjectives don’t take endings; attributive ones do:
• ein aufmerksamer Schüler (an attentive student).

Can I add what the person should be attentive to?

Not directly after aufmerksam. Use other verbs:

• Achte auf den Verkehr. (Pay attention to traffic.)
• Pass auf den Verkehr auf. (also correct; colloquial speech often drops the second “auf”.)
• Sei aufmerksam im Verkehr. (Be attentive in traffic.)

Why isn’t there anything like “-ly” in German (e.g., “attentively”)?

German doesn’t use a special adverb ending like English “-ly.” The adjective form usually serves as the adverb:

• aufmerksam sein (be attentive)
• aufmerksam zuhören (listen attentively)

How do I negate this naturally?

You could say Sei nicht unaufmerksam, but it sounds clunky. More idiomatic are positive or specific formulations:

• Bitte sei aufmerksam. (use the positive)
• Lass dich nicht ablenken. (Don’t get distracted.)
• Bitte konzentrier dich. (Please focus.)

Can I emphasize that I mean “you” in particular?

Yes, add the pronoun for emphasis:

• Sei du aufmerksam. (You be attentive.) Or contrast with others:
• Sei du bitte aufmerksam, nicht er.

How is it pronounced?

• Sei: like English “sigh” [zaɪ].
• aufmerksam: roughly “OWF-mairk-zahm”; stress on the first syllable: AUF-merk-sam. In IPA: [ˈaʊf.mɛʁk.zaːm] (the “r” is the typical German uvular sound).

Do I need to capitalize anything special?

• Sei is only capitalized at the start of the sentence.
• Sie (formal “you”) is capitalized: Seien Sie aufmerksam.
• aufmerksam is lowercased unless it starts a sentence.

Is a comma after Bitte required?

No. Without a pause, write Bitte sei aufmerksam.
If you treat Bitte as an interjection with a pause, a comma is fine: Bitte, sei aufmerksam. It signals a slightly more pleading tone.

Could I say Bleib aufmerksam?

Yes. Bleib aufmerksam = “Stay attentive,” implying the person already is and should maintain it.

• Sei aufmerksam = “Be attentive (now),” a general or initial request.

Any common mistakes to avoid?

• Spelling: aufmerksam (not “aufmerksamm” or “aufmerksam”).
• Don’t use bist for commands. Use sei/seid/seien Sie.
• Don’t say sei aufmerksam auf… to mean “pay attention to…”. Prefer achte auf… or pass auf….