Signification
Providing a response to an inquiry.
Contexte culturel
Dutch directness means that 'beantwoorden' often leads to a very blunt 'nee' or 'ja' without much sugar-coating. Flemish speakers might use 'antwoorden' more often than 'beantwoorden' in casual speech, and the answers are generally more polite and indirect. In Surinamese Dutch, the register can be more formal and respectful, especially when answering elders. In offices, 'beantwoorden' is often replaced by 'oppakken' (to pick up/handle) or 'terugkoppelen' (to give feedback).
The 'dt' rule
Always check if the subject is 'jij' or 'hij'. If so, add a 't' to 'beantwoord', making it 'beantwoordt'.
No 'op' with 'be-'
Never say 'beantwoorden op'. It's a very common mistake for English speakers!
Signification
Providing a response to an inquiry.
The 'dt' rule
Always check if the subject is 'jij' or 'hij'. If so, add a 't' to 'beantwoord', making it 'beantwoordt'.
No 'op' with 'be-'
Never say 'beantwoorden op'. It's a very common mistake for English speakers!
Be Direct
When answering a question in the Netherlands, a short and honest answer is better than a long, vague one.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of 'beantwoorden' in the present tense.
De student ___ de vraag van de leraar.
The subject 'De student' is third person singular, so we add a 't' to the stem 'beantwoord'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the best option:
'Beantwoorden' is transitive and takes a direct object without a preposition.
Complete the dialogue.
Anouk: 'Waarom heb je mijn e-mail niet ___?' Bas: 'Sorry, ik had geen tijd.'
This is the perfect tense (heb ... beantwoord), so we use the past participle.
Match the Dutch phrase with its English translation.
Match them up:
These are common collocations involving 'answering'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Beantwoorden vs Antwoorden
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesDe student ___ de vraag van de leraar.
The subject 'De student' is third person singular, so we add a 't' to the stem 'beantwoord'.
Choose the best option:
'Beantwoorden' is transitive and takes a direct object without a preposition.
Anouk: 'Waarom heb je mijn e-mail niet ___?' Bas: 'Sorry, ik had geen tijd.'
This is the perfect tense (heb ... beantwoord), so we use the past participle.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are common collocations involving 'answering'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questions'Beantwoorden' is transitive (takes a direct object), while 'antwoorden' usually needs 'op'. Example: 'Ik beantwoord de vraag' vs 'Ik antwoord op de vraag'.
It's better to use 'de telefoon opnemen'. Using 'beantwoorden' sounds like you are answering a question *from* the phone.
It is neutral. You can use it in both formal and informal situations.
It is 'beantwoordde' (singular) and 'beantwoordden' (plural).
Usually, but it can also take 'e-mail', 'brief' (letter), or 'verzoek' (request).
In most Dutch dialects, the final 'n' is dropped in casual speech, so it sounds like 'beantwoorde'.
It means 'to meet' or 'to satisfy', like 'beantwoorden aan de verwachtingen' (meeting expectations).
Yes, 'antwoord geven' is a very common and natural alternative.
For 'u' (formal you), it is always 'u beantwoordt' with a 't'.
The 'be-' prefix in Dutch often makes a verb transitive, meaning it acts directly on an object.
Expressions liées
Antwoord geven
similarTo give an answer
Reageren op
similarTo react to
Oplossen
relatedTo solve
Uitsluitsel geven
specialized formTo give a final decision
Vragen stellen
contrastTo ask questions
