Meaning and behavior
What does responder mean?
Responder means to answer, to reply. VerbyGo classifies it as a regular -ER verb. It is non-reflexive.
to talk back, to answer back (to respond defiantly and inappropriately); to respond, to react (to someone else's actions).
Build from reliable parts
Principal forms
- Infinitive
- responder
- Gerund
- respondiendo
- Past participle
- respondido
Regular -ER pattern
How this verb behaves
Responder follows the regular -er pattern in the four tenses shown here.
Conjugation guide
Present forms
Present forms
Present
Use the present forms of responder for current situations, routines and actions that happen regularly.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | respondo |
| tú | respondes |
| él / ella / usted | responde |
| nosotros / nosotras | respondemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | respondéis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | responden |
Present forms
Present progressive
Use present estar with respondiendo for an action in progress now.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | estoy respondiendo |
| tú | estás respondiendo |
| él / ella / usted | está respondiendo |
| nosotros / nosotras | estamos respondiendo |
| vosotros / vosotras | estáis respondiendo |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | están respondiendo |
Present forms
Present perfect
Use present haber with respondido for a completed action connected to the present.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | he respondido |
| tú | has respondido |
| él / ella / usted | ha respondido |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos respondido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis respondido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han respondido |
Present forms
Present perfect continuous
Use present haber, estado and respondiendo to emphasize an activity continuing into the present.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | he estado respondiendo |
| tú | has estado respondiendo |
| él / ella / usted | ha estado respondiendo |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos estado respondiendo |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis estado respondiendo |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han estado respondiendo |
Conjugation guide
Past forms
Past forms
Preterite
Use the preterite when the action of responder is presented as completed in the past.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | respondí |
| tú | respondiste |
| él / ella / usted | respondió |
| nosotros / nosotras | respondimos |
| vosotros / vosotras | respondisteis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | respondieron |
Past forms
Imperfect past
Use the imperfect for repeated or ongoing past uses of responder, or for background information.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | respondía |
| tú | respondías |
| él / ella / usted | respondía |
| nosotros / nosotras | respondíamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | respondíais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | respondían |
Past forms
Past perfect
Use imperfect haber with respondido for an action completed before another past point.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | había respondido |
| tú | habías respondido |
| él / ella / usted | había respondido |
| nosotros / nosotras | habíamos respondido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habíais respondido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habían respondido |
Conjugation guide
Future and conditional
Future and conditional
Simple future
Use the future forms of responder for predictions, promises and future statements.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | responderé |
| tú | responderás |
| él / ella / usted | responderá |
| nosotros / nosotras | responderemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | responderéis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | responderán |
Future and conditional
Future perfect
Use future haber with respondido for an action that will be complete before a future point.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | habré respondido |
| tú | habrás respondido |
| él / ella / usted | habrá respondido |
| nosotros / nosotras | habremos respondido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habréis respondido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habrán respondido |
Future and conditional
Simple conditional
Use the conditional forms of responder for hypothetical or tactful statements.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | respondería |
| tú | responderías |
| él / ella / usted | respondería |
| nosotros / nosotras | responderíamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | responderíais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | responderían |
Future and conditional
Conditional perfect
Use conditional haber with respondido for a hypothetical completed past action.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | habría respondido |
| tú | habrías respondido |
| él / ella / usted | habría respondido |
| nosotros / nosotras | habríamos respondido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habríais respondido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habrían respondido |
Conjugation guide
Subjunctive forms
Subjunctive forms
Present subjunctive
Use these forms when a current wish, reaction, doubt or another trigger requires the subjunctive.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | responda |
| tú | respondas |
| él / ella / usted | responda |
| nosotros / nosotras | respondamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | respondáis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | respondan |
Subjunctive forms
Perfect subjunctive
Use present-subjunctive haber with respondido for a completed action in a present subjunctive context.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | haya respondido |
| tú | hayas respondido |
| él / ella / usted | haya respondido |
| nosotros / nosotras | hayamos respondido |
| vosotros / vosotras | hayáis respondido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hayan respondido |
Subjunctive forms
Imperfect subjunctive
Use these forms for past subjunctive contexts and hypothetical structures; the equivalent -se series is also accepted where supplied.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | respondieraAlso accepted: respondiese |
| tú | respondierasAlso accepted: respondieses |
| él / ella / usted | respondieraAlso accepted: respondiese |
| nosotros / nosotras | respondiéramosAlso accepted: respondiésemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | respondieraisAlso accepted: respondieseis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | respondieranAlso accepted: respondiesen |
Subjunctive forms
Past perfect subjunctive
Use imperfect-subjunctive haber with respondido for an unreal or earlier completed past action.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| yo | hubiera respondidoAlso accepted: hubiese respondido |
| tú | hubieras respondidoAlso accepted: hubieses respondido |
| él / ella / usted | hubiera respondidoAlso accepted: hubiese respondido |
| nosotros / nosotras | hubiéramos respondidoAlso accepted: hubiésemos respondido |
| vosotros / vosotras | hubierais respondidoAlso accepted: hubieseis respondido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hubieran respondidoAlso accepted: hubiesen respondido |
Conjugation guide
Commands
Commands
Affirmative commands
Choose the affirmative command of responder that matches the person being addressed.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| tú | responde |
| usted | responda |
| nosotros / nosotras | respondamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | responded |
| ustedes | respondan |
Commands
Negative commands
Use no with the matching command form of responder.
| Subject | Responder |
|---|---|
| tú | no respondas |
| usted | no responda |
| nosotros / nosotras | no respondamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | no respondáis |
| ustedes | no respondan |
Verified context
Examples with responder
¿Por qué no responde Tom?
Why doesn't Tom answer?
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRTom no responde al móvil.
Tom isn't answering his cell.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRYo respondí a la pregunta.
I answered the question.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Quick answers
Responder FAQ
What does responder mean?
Responder means to answer, to reply.
Is responder regular or irregular?
Responder is a regular -ER verb.
What is the gerund of responder?
The gerund of responder is respondiendo.
What is the past participle of responder?
The past participle of responder is respondido.
How is responder conjugated in the present?
The verified public subject set is respondo, respondes, responde, respondemos, responden.
How is responder conjugated in the preterite?
The verified public subject set is respondí, respondiste, respondió, respondimos, respondieron.
Created by Alejandro Ruiz, an experienced Spanish tutor.