Antworten vs. beantworten
In German, both antworten and beantworten mean to answer, but they are used in slightly different contexts. Here, we will clarify their usage with examples, focusing on when to use each word.
Antworten
A1Antworten means to answer, to reply, or to respond and is typically used with people or entities being addressed. It does not require a direct object most of the time and is often followed by auf (on) when referring to a topic or question.
Er hat auf meine Frage nicht geantwortet.
(He did not reply to my question.)
Sie antwortet dem Lehrer schnell.
(She answers the teacher quickly.)
Kannst du bitte auf diese E-Mail antworten?
(Can you please reply to this email?)
Beantworten
A2Beantworten also means to answer, but it requires a direct object. It emphasizes providing a response to something specific, like a question, a letter, or an email. It is often seen as slightly more formal than antworten.
Ich beantworte deine Frage später.
(I will answer your question later.)
Er hat die E-Mail sofort beantwortet.
(He answered the email immediately.)
Können Sie dieses Problem endlich beantworten?
(Can you finally answer this problem?)
Summary
Antworten is used for answering or replying in a general sense, often involving people and sometimes followed by auf for specific topics. Beantworten, however, always requires a direct object and refers to responding to a specific entity like a question or email, often in a formal context.