Key facts

Répondre

To answer · to answer/to reply

A1Irregular
Model
vendre
Stem
répond
Past participle
répondu

Examples

Je réponds au prof.

I answer the teacher.

Il ne répond pas au téléphone.

He doesn't answer the phone.

Nous répondions oui.

We used to answer yes.

Nous avons répondu non.

We answered no.

This verb is highly irregular. Prioritize repetition and active recall.

Présent

Indicative present — everyday actions, ongoing situations, and habits; the tense you rely on most in conversation.

Group 3
Jeréponds
Ianswer
Turéponds
Youanswer
Ilrépond
Heanswers
Nousrépondons
Weanswer
Vousrépondez
Youanswer
Ilsrépondent
Theyanswer

Futur proche

Near future with aller + infinitive — what you are about to do, very soon after the moment of speaking.

Jevais répondre
Iam going to answer
Tuvas répondre
Youare going to answer
Ilva répondre
Heis going to answer
Nousallons répondre
Weare going to answer
Vousallez répondre
Youare going to answer
Ilsvont répondre
Theyare going to answer

Passé récent

Recent past with venir de + infinitive — something that has just finished, still fresh in the speaker’s mind.

Jeviens de répondre
Ihave just answered
Tuviens de répondre
Youhave just answered
Ilvient de répondre
Hehas just answered
Nousvenons de répondre
Wehave just answered
Vousvenez de répondre
Youhave just answered
Ilsviennent de répondre
Theyhave just answered

Passé composé

Compound past with être or avoir + past participle — completed, one-off events and the backbone of spoken storytelling.

J'ai répondu
Ihave answered
Tuas répondu
Youhave answered
Ila répondu
Hehas answered
Nousavons répondu
Wehave answered
Vousavez répondu
Youhave answered
Ilsont répondu
Theyhave answered

Conditionnel présent

Conditional mood — polite requests, imagined outcomes, and what would happen under certain conditions.

Jerépondrais
Iwould answer
Turépondrais
Youwould answer
Ilrépondrait
Hewould answer
Nousrépondrions
Wewould answer
Vousrépondriez
Youwould answer
Ilsrépondraient
Theywould answer

Futur simple

Simple future — often more formal or literary than the near future; states intentions farther ahead in time.

Jerépondrai
Iwill answer
Turépondras
Youwill answer
Ilrépondra
Hewill answer
Nousrépondrons
Wewill answer
Vousrépondrez
Youwill answer
Ilsrépondront
Theywill answer

Imparfait

Imperfect — repeated habits in the past, background description, and actions still in progress when something else occurred.

Jerépondais
Iwas answering
Turépondais
Youwere answering
Ilrépondait
Hewas answering
Nousrépondions
Were answering
Vousrépondiez
Youwere answering
Ilsrépondaient
Theywere answering

Impératif présent

Present imperative — direct commands and friendly requests; only tu, nous, and vous person forms exist.

(Tu)réponds
Youanswer
(Nous)répondons
Weanswer
(Vous)répondez
Youanswer

Participe présent

Present participle — the -ant form in subordinate clauses, compound tenses, and many fixed expressions.

répondant
answering

Gérondif présent

Gerund with en + present participle — simultaneous action, manner, or cause while something else is going on.

en répondant
answering

Similar conjugation models (Irregular)

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