This is the 6555th most frequent Dutch word.
verdient
"Deserves" or "earns."
In this sentence, 'verdient' reflects the idea of meriting or being worthy of something due to one's actions.
Als je hard werkt, verdient dat respect.
If you work hard, that deserves respect.
In this context, 'verdient' is the conjugation of the verb 'verdienen', which means 'to earn'.
Hij verdient een loon voor zijn werk.
He earns a wage for his work.
Here, 'verdient' is used to mean 'deserves' in the sense of being considered worthy of something.