Japanese word

答える

Pronunciation

Romajikotaeru

Meaning

  • verbanswer

Example

先生の質問に答えます。sen sei no shitsu mon ni kota e ma su

I answer the teacher's question.

Illustration for 答える (answer)

More examples

友だちのなぞなぞに答えます。tomo da chi no na zo na zo ni kota e ma su

I answer my friend's riddle.

分からない質問にも、できるだけ丁寧に答えます。wa ka ra na i shitsu mon ni mo de ki ru da ke tei nei ni kota e ma su

I answer even questions I do not understand as carefully as I can.

Core concept

It marks a response that addresses what another person asks.

Common phrases

  • 質問に答えるshitsu mon ni kota e ru

    answer a question

  • 正しく答えるtada shi ku kota e ru

    answer correctly

  • 英語で答えるei go de kota e ru

    answer in English

Similar words

返事するhenjisuru: To give a reply to a greeting, message, or other communication.

Definition in Japanese

相手の質問や求めに応じて、返事や必要な情報を伝える。ai te no shitsu mon ya moto me ni ō ji te hen ji ya hitsu yō na jō hō o tsuta e ru

Word origin

答える (kotaeru) is a native Japanese word that comes from the older form 答ふ (kotafu), meaning "to answer."

Usage tips

  • Japanese often uses 答える (kotaeru) for questions, while 返事をする (henji o suru) more often describes replying to a greeting or message.

Other meanings

  • replyverb

Related words

  • 答えkotaeanswernoun
  • 答え方kotaekataway of answeringnoun

Word lists with this word