responder

Senses

1. 1.

   to answer; to reply

   to give a spoken or written response to a question or statement

2. 2.

   to respond; to react

   to react or take action in consequence of something

3. 3.

   to be responsible (for); to answer (for)

   to be accountable or liable for something

4. 4.

   to correspond to; to match

   to fit or match a description or expectation

Examples

• "Ela respondeu rapidamente à minha pergunta."

  She answered my question quickly.

• "O carro não respondeu bem aos freios na descida."

  The car didn't respond well to braking on the slope.

• "Ele tem que responder pelos seus atos."

  He has to answer for his actions.

Usage

Responder is a highly frequent verb in Brazilian Portuguese. It is commonly used with prepositions: "responder a" (answer to), "responder por" (be responsible for), "responder com" (respond with). The reflexive form "se responder" is less common; use "responder-se" only in formal or archaic contexts.