Use 答える to answer a question or a person in polite conversation.
The idea
答える is an ichidan verb: remove る to make 答えます, 答えました and 答えて. Mark the question or person answered with に; use と to quote the words of the answer.
| Dictionary form | Polite non-past | Polite negative | Polite past | て form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 答える | 答えます | 答えません | 答えました | 答えて |
Examples
- 先生の質問に答えます。I answer the teacher’s question.
- 昨日、質問に日本語で答えました。Yesterday I answered the question in Japanese.
- その質問にはまだ答えられません。I cannot answer that question yet.
- この質問に答えてください。Please answer this question.
- 質問に「はい」と答えました。I answered “yes” to the question.
- 彼女はインタビュアーに落ち着いて答えました。She answered the interviewer calmly.
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Watch out
Do not use を for the question with 答える: say 質問に答える. The noun 答え means an answer, while 答える is the verb.
Try it yourself
質問＿答えます。（に／を）
Show answer or example answer
に
に marks the question being answered.
＿。（答える→て）
Show answer or example answer
答えて
答えて is the て form: drop る and add て.
「はい」＿答えました。（と／で）
Show answer or example answer
と
と marks the quoted answer, 「はい」.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
質問＿答えます。（に／を）
＿。（答える→て）
「はい」＿答えました。（と／で）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write a polite sentence answering a question, then quote your answer with と.