Today I want to look at a very common verb in spoken French, point out a few pitfalls and then show how you can impress native speakers with some really sophisticated uses.
Most readers here know that répondre in French is “to reply” or “to answer.” Notice in the following examples how répondre is always followed by a form of the preposition à. This is very different from English.
Wait, I have to answer the phone. Hold on, I have to answer the phone
Answer the questions. Answer the questions.
I reply to your email yesterday. I'm replying to your email of yesterday.
I have not yet responded to my mother I have not Answered my mother yet.
We will respond to your request shortly. We will answer your request shortly.
This presence of the à preposition is very important because it means that the noun following the preposition is probably treated like an indirect object. This has major implications for the forms of the pronouns that will be used, And this is where English-speaking learners come to grief. Look at the following examples:
Tell my mother I'll meet him later. Tell my mother That I'll answer her later.
My parents left me a message. I answer them tomorrow. My relatives left me a message. I'll answer 'em tomorrow.
It's a question I can not answer. It's a question I can not answer.
If you ask the questions, I'll try to answer them. If you ask the questions, I'll try to answer 'em.
Here is a common idiomatic expression:
Poser la question, c’est d’y répondre. (literally) Ask the question is to answer it at the same time. (idiomatically) The answer is obvious.
Notice how lui and leur are used when referring to people whereas à laquelle and y are used with objects such as “questions.”
In the following examples, note how the à is used to introduce a descriptive phrase:
She replied softly. She Answered in a hushed voice.
I answered to the best of my knowledge all questions. I Answered all the issues to the best of my knowledge.
In the last example, avoid au meilleur de ma connaissance a literal translation often heard in Canada.
Répondre is often used with the preposition de to introduce a description, as in:
The accused answered evasively. The accusé Answered in an evasive Manner.
I'll try to answer clearly the question. I'll try to answer your question Clearly.
Now, if you really want to impress people with your ability to speak French, here is a use of répondre de that is somewhat rare. Look at the following examples:
The rioters must answer for their acts. The rioters will-have to answer for Their shares.
I am ready to answer for my actions. I'm ready to answer for my actions.
Although “actes” and “gestes” are probably the most common complements of répondre de, you could use all sorts of words that lend themselves to this construction, as in:
answer his written answer For His writings
respond to his insults answer for her insults
While we are on “répondre de,” I should point out that there is a related and really literary or legal usage in the sense of “to be reponsible for people.” You will almost never hear this in modern spoken French, but if you read the plays of Molière, legal texts and classical literature, you will come across things like:
You must answer the people who were entrusted to your care. You are responsible for the persons under your stewardship.
I can not answer for my brother; I answer only to myself. I am not responsible for my brother; I'm only responsible for myself.
The most common form in use, by far, is répondre à. That’s the one you really have to have down pat, especially with the relevant pronoun forms that tend to trip up learners. Répondre de is much less used in the spoken language, but it is good to know when you want to impress your audience.
Stanley Aléong is a polyglot, author, musician and language coach in French, English and Spanish. He likes to share his passion for languages and believes that anybody can learn to speak a foreign language well with the right methods and tools. He has also invented a cool visual learning tool called the that is based on his own learning experience. Reach him at info@langcal.com.
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