The Verb Schätzen

The verb schätzen has two different meanings, and the only way to know which you are looking at is to examine the context.

In the lyrics of the first example below, the verb schätzen means "to value," or "to treasure." As you can see, in some cases the translation "to appreciate" is more appropriate. The noun der Schatz refers to a treasured object, and it can also be used as a term of endearment, similar to "dear," "darling," or "treasure" in English.

Ich schätze Wegbegleiter, auch wenn alles seine Zeit hat.

I treasure companions, even if everything happens in its own time.

Caption 22, Mark Forster - Sowieso
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Das wird vor allem von den jüngeren Gästen geschätzt.

This is especially appreciated by the younger guests.

Caption 41, Reiseland Deutschland - Vielfalt im Herzen Europas
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Als es Frühling wurde, erklärte der Bär, er müsse jetzt gehen, um seine Schätze zu hüten.

When it was spring, the Bear explained that he had to go now to tend to his treasures.

Caption 29, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot
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Nacht, Papa. -Nacht, mein Schatz.

Night, Papa. -Night, my treasure.

Caption 43, Die Pfefferkörner - Gerüchteküche
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However, the other meaning of schätzen, which is equally common, is "to guess" or "to estimate."

Ich schätze mal, dass wir dann nächstes Jahr irgendwann ernsthaft anfangen.

I estimate then that we'll seriously start sometime next year.

Caption 67, Madsen - auf dem Hessentag
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Was schätzt du denn? -Ich schätze neununddreißig.

What do you guess then? -I guess thirty-nine.

Captions 10-11, rheinmain Szene - Unheilig - „Der Graf“
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Man schätzt, dass Schlittschuhe schon seit dreitausend Jahren verwendet werden.

It is estimated that ice skates have been used for over three thousand years.

Caption 15, Unterwegs mit Cettina - Schlittschuhlaufen
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Further Learning
There are many examples of this verb used in both contexts on Yabla German. See if you can use it one way or another (or both!) in the next conversation you have in German, or at your next German class.