respondió
rres-pon-dee-OH
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Ella no respondió a mi llamada.
A1She did not answer my call.
El profesor preguntó, y Juan respondió inmediatamente.
A2The teacher asked, and Juan responded immediately.
Usted respondió con gran sabiduría a esa crítica.
B1You (formal) responded to that criticism with great wisdom.
💡 Grammar Points
Simple Past Action
The form 'respondió' tells us that the action of answering happened completely in the past and is finished. It’s like saying 'he answered' or 'she responded'.
Using 'A' after Responder
When answering a question or reacting to a person/thing, Spanish often uses the preposition 'a' (to) right after the verb: 'Respondió a la carta' (He responded to the letter).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Tenses
Mistake: "Using 'respondía' (Imperfect) instead of 'respondió' (Preterite)."
Correction: 'Respondió' is for a single, completed action (She answered the phone once). 'Respondía' is for ongoing or habitual actions in the past (She used to answer the phone quickly).
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal vs. Informal
'Respondió' can refer to 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or 'usted' (formal you). Context usually makes it clear who performed the action.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: respondió
Question 1 of 1
Which subject pronoun is NOT generally associated with the verb form 'respondió'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'respondió' have an accent mark?
The accent mark is necessary because 'respondió' is a past tense verb form, and the stress naturally falls on the final syllable (the 'o'). The accent mark tells you exactly where to put the emphasis, preventing confusion with other words.
Is 'respondió' used more often in speaking or writing?
Both! As the simple past tense, 'respondió' is essential for telling stories and narratives in both spoken conversation and written texts, describing a single, finished action.