答える|こたえるkotaeru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto answer; to reply「はい、ありません」とジョーダンさんは答えた。↗"No, I don't," said Mr Jordan.
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 答える（こたえる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 答えます（こたえます） |
| Negative (nai) | 答えない（こたえない） |
| polite (masen) | 答えません（こたえません） |
| classical zu / nu | 答えず・答えぬ（こたえず・こたえぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 答えた（こたえた） |
| polite (mashita) | 答えました（こたえました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 答えなかった（こたえなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 答えませんでした（こたえませんでした） |
| Te form | 答えて（こたえて） |
| Potential | 答えられる（こたえられる） |
| Passive | 答えられる（こたえられる） |
| Causative | 答えさせる（こたえさせる） |
| Causative passive | 答えさせられる（こたえさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 答えれば（こたえれば） |
| tara | 答えたら（こたえたら） |
| Volitional | 答えよう（こたえよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 答えましょう（こたえましょう） |
| Imperative | 答えろ（こたえろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym回答かいとうNeutralSino-Japanese word for answering an inquiry or survey; mostly written prose and questionnaires, as in 「アンケートに回答する」.
- Synonym応答おうとうWrittenWritten/formal word for responding to a call or query; common in communications and machines, as in 「応答がない」 and 「質疑応答」.
- Synonym返答へんとうWrittenA written-flavored reply to a call or question; in everyday speech 「返事」 is the usual word instead.
- Related返事へんじNeutralEveryday word for responding to a greeting or message; also means writing back, as in 「返事を書く」. The most common choice in daily conversation.
- Related解答かいとうNeutralAn answer reached by solving a problem, as in 「解答用紙」; centers on working out test or quiz questions rather than answering in general.
- Related受け答えうけこたえNeutralHow one responds to what the other person says; focuses on one's handling of a conversation, as in 「受け答えがしっかりしている」.
- Antonym問うとうWrittenAntonym: to ask or put a question, the opposite of 「答える」; strongly written in flavor, and also used for holding someone accountable.
- Antonym質問するNeutralAntonym: to ask a question rather than answer one; the most common everyday way of saying you're asking.
Default to 「答える」 for answering. Use 「回答」 for written replies to surveys, 「返事」 for replies and letters, 「解答」 for solving problems, 「応答」 for communications. The asker's side is 「質問する」 or 「問う」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
