Inklingo

How to Say "replied" in Spanish

English → Spanish

contestó

verbA1General
Use 'contestó' when referring to answering a phone call, a question directly, or a physical message.

Examples

Ella contestó el teléfono a la primera.

She answered the phone on the first ring.

respondió

verbA1General
Use 'respondió' primarily for verbal or written communication, like not responding to a call or a message.

Examples

Ella no respondió a mi llamada.

She did not answer my call.

respondido

re-spon-DEE-thoresponˈdiðo

verbA1General
Use 'respondido' when indicating that a response has been sent, typically in written communication like emails or messages.
A person holding a raised hand with a bright smile, having just provided an answer.

Examples

He respondido a tu correo electrónico esta mañana.

I have answered your email this morning.

¿Has respondido a la pregunta del profesor?

Have you answered the teacher's question?

Ellos todavía no han respondido a nuestra invitación.

They still haven't replied to our invitation.

The 'Haber' Rule

When you use 'respondido' with the helping verb 'haber' (like in 'he respondido'), the word 'respondido' never changes its ending, even if you are talking about multiple things or people.

The Changing Ending

Mistake: “Mis preguntas han sido respondidos.”

Correction: Mis preguntas han sido respondidas. When 'respondido' acts like a description (adjective), it must match the gender of the thing you are talking about.

Contestó vs. Respondió

Learners often confuse 'contestó' and 'respondió' because both can mean 'answered'. Remember that 'contestó' is more common for direct interactions like phone calls or questions, while 'respondió' is broader for communication like messages or calls not answered.

Related Translations

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