répondre

Senses

1. 1.

   to answer

   to give a reply to a question or statement

2. 2.

   to respond

   to react or react to something

3. 3.

   to correspond to / to match

   to meet or fit a description, need, or expectation

4. 4.

   to answer (a door/phone)

   to go to and open a door or pick up a telephone

Examples

• "Il m'a posé une question et j'ai répondu immédiatement."

  He asked me a question and I answered immediately.

• "Ce produit répond à tous vos besoins."

  This product meets all your needs.

• "Je n'ai pas entendu la sonnette; qui a répondu à la porte?"

  I didn't hear the doorbell; who answered the door?

Usage

Répondre is a common regular -re verb. It frequently takes an indirect object with "à" (répondre à quelqu'un, répondre à une lettre). In formal contexts, "répondre de" means "to vouch for" or "to be accountable for."