- Basic forms
- 答える — to answer; to reply / base form
- 答えます — polite / masu form
- 答えた — answered / ta form
- 答えて — answer and … / te-form
- 答えない — do not answer / negative
- 答えれば — if (someone) answers / conditional
- 答えろ・答えよ — answer! / imperative
- Other common forms
- 答えたい — want to answer / 〜たい
- 答えられる — can answer; be answered / potential / passive
- 答えられない — can’t answer; cannot be answered
- 答えている — is answering; has answered / progressive
- More
- 答えよう — let’s answer / 〜よう
- 答えなかった — didn’t answer / past negative
答える(こたえる) is an ichidan (1-dan) verb. Drop る and add endings like ます, た, て, ない. Common patterns include 質問に答える (answer a question) and アンケートに答える (respond to a survey).
- 回答 — reply / response
- 解答 — solution (to a question)
- 応答 — reply / response
- 答案 — answer / examination paper
- 返答 — reply / answer
- 即答 — immediate reply
- 贈答品 — gift item
The top radical ⺮ represents bamboo — once used for writing materials. The lower part 合 suggests “coming together.” 答 originally referred to a formal reply or response, especially one written on bamboo slips.