Why Responder Depends on the Small Word After It
Responder is the verb for answering and responding, and it is regular. The small word after it decides the meaning: a for what you reply to, por for who you vouch for, con for how you reply.
Learn the six chunks below and you can handle messages, phones, responsibility and family discipline.
Pattern 1: Responder a… — "To reply to…"
Use a for the message, question or email you reply to. In everyday Latin American speech people often drop it: responder un mensaje. For asking questions, see [Preguntar] Chunks.
- Voy a responder tu mensaje. — I'm going to reply to your message.
- Responde a mi pregunta, por favor. — Answer my question, please.
- No respondió al correo. — He didn't reply to the email.
Chunk to learn:
Responder a + [mensaje / pregunta / correo]
Pattern 2: No responde — "It doesn't answer"
Use it for a phone that rings out, a person who ignores you, or a system that freezes. For calling, see [Llamar] Chunks.
- No responde al teléfono. — He's not answering the phone.
- El sistema no responde. — The system isn't responding.
- No me responde nadie. — Nobody is answering me.
Chunk to learn:
No responde (al teléfono) / No me responde nadie
Pattern 3: Responder por alguien — "To vouch for / answer for someone"
With por, you take responsibility for a person. With de, you answer for damage or results. For duty, see [Deber] Chunks.
- Respondo por él. — I vouch for him.
- Yo respondo por mi equipo. — I take responsibility for my team.
- El dueño responde de los daños. — The owner is liable for the damage.
Chunk to learn:
Responder por + [persona] / Responder de + [daños]
Pattern 4: Responder a las expectativas — "To live up to expectations"
Use a again for needs and hopes you meet. It is common in reviews, business and news. For hoping, see [Esperar] Chunks.
- El producto responde a una necesidad real. — The product meets a real need.
- No respondió a las expectativas. — It didn't live up to expectations.
- Este plan responde a la situación. — This plan fits the situation.
Chunk to learn:
Responder a + [expectativas / una necesidad]
Pattern 5: Responder con… — "To answer with…"
Use con for the way you answer: a smile, honesty, silence. It is a natural chunk for stories. For letters and writing, see [Escribir] Chunks.
- Respondió con una sonrisa. — She answered with a smile.
- Responde con sinceridad. — Answer honestly.
- Respondió con un silencio incómodo. — He answered with an awkward silence.
Chunk to learn:
Responder con + [una sonrisa / sinceridad / un no]
Pattern 6: No me respondas así — "Don't talk back to me"
What parents say when a child answers rudely. The adjective respondón describes someone who always talks back. For speaking, see [Hablar] Chunks.
- No me respondas así. — Don't talk back to me like that.
- Mi hijo es muy respondón. — My son talks back a lot.
- No le respondas a tu madre. — Don't talk back to your mother.
Chunk to learn:
No me respondas así / Ser respondón
Responder vs. Contestar
Responder and contestar both mean to answer, and they overlap a lot. Contestar is the everyday choice for the phone and for quick answers: contesta el teléfono. Responder is a bit more formal and is the one used with por and de for responsibility. For asking, see [Pedir] Chunks.
Start with responder a… and respondo por él. You will use both the first time someone asks you to vouch for them.
This post is part of the Spanish Chunk Series — a growing collection of chunk patterns for natural Spanish.