15초 만에
- Opening the door after a knock or a bell rings.
- Used for visitors, deliveries, or unexpected guests at your home.
- Can be swapped with 'get the door' in casual settings.
뜻
This phrase means going to the door to see who is there after you hear a knock or the doorbell. It is the act of opening the door to greet a visitor or a delivery person.
주요 예문
3 / 6At home with family
Can you answer the door? My hands are covered in flour.
Can you open the door? My hands are covered in flour.
Waiting for food
That must be the pizza guy; I'll answer the door.
That must be the pizza guy; I'll open the door.
In a formal office setting
The receptionist will answer the door for all scheduled appointments.
The receptionist will open the door for all scheduled appointments.
문화적 배경
Safety is a major concern. Many Americans will not answer the door for strangers, especially at night, without looking through a peephole or using a camera. There is a strong tradition of 'cold calling' (salespeople knocking), though it is increasingly disliked. Answering the door politely but firmly is a common social skill. Hospitality is paramount. Answering the door often leads to an immediate invitation for the guest to enter and share a meal or drink. The 'Genkan' area is where the door is answered. It is a transitional space where shoes are removed, maintaining a strict boundary between outside and inside. Privacy is highly valued. Answering the door for someone you don't know might be met with a more formal and direct 'Ja?' (Yes?) rather than a warm greeting.
Use 'Get it!'
If the doorbell rings and you want to tell someone you will handle it, just shout 'I'll get it!' It's the most natural native response.
Don't forget 'the'
Saying 'answer door' sounds like a robot. Always say 'answer THE door'.
15초 만에
- Opening the door after a knock or a bell rings.
- Used for visitors, deliveries, or unexpected guests at your home.
- Can be swapped with 'get the door' in casual settings.
What It Means
To answer the door is simple but essential. It means responding when someone signals they are outside. You hear a knock or a chime. You walk to the entrance. You open it to see who is there. It is the first step of any face-to-face visit.
How To Use It
You use this phrase as a verb. You can say I'll answer the door or Can you answer the door?. It works in almost any tense. If the bell rings while you are cooking, you might shout, I'm busy, please answer the door! It sounds very natural and smooth in conversation.
When To Use It
Use it whenever a visitor arrives. This applies to your home, an office, or even a hotel room. It is perfect for delivery situations. Use it when the pizza guy arrives. Use it when your neighbor drops by for sugar. It is the standard way to describe this action in English.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it if you are just walking through a door. If you are entering a room, you are just opening the door. Answer implies there is a person or a signal on the other side. Also, do not use it for phone calls. For phones, you answer the phone. Don't mix them up or your friends will be very confused!
Cultural Background
In many English-speaking cultures, answering the door is about hospitality. However, it is also about privacy. Many people now use 'video doorbells' to see who is there first. If it is a salesperson, they might not answer the door at all! It is a small moment of social decision-making. In the past, children were often told never to answer the door to strangers.
Common Variations
You might hear get the door which is more informal. Who's at the door? is a common question after someone answers. You can also say respond to the door, but that sounds like a robot talking. Stick to answer or get for a natural feel. If you are expecting someone, you might say I'll get that! the second the bell rings.
사용 참고사항
This is a neutral, high-frequency collocation. It is safe to use in any social or professional setting. The only variation is 'get the door,' which is slightly more casual.
Use 'Get it!'
If the doorbell rings and you want to tell someone you will handle it, just shout 'I'll get it!' It's the most natural native response.
Don't forget 'the'
Saying 'answer door' sounds like a robot. Always say 'answer THE door'.
The 'Who is it?' rule
In many English-speaking countries, it's normal to shout 'Who is it?' through the door before answering if you aren't expecting anyone.
예시
6Can you answer the door? My hands are covered in flour.
Can you open the door? My hands are covered in flour.
A very common request when someone is busy in the kitchen.
That must be the pizza guy; I'll answer the door.
That must be the pizza guy; I'll open the door.
Shows proactive action when expecting a delivery.
The receptionist will answer the door for all scheduled appointments.
The receptionist will open the door for all scheduled appointments.
Used to describe a professional duty or procedure.
I'm outside! Answer the door!
I'm outside! Open the door!
Direct and urgent, common among close friends.
I pretended not to be home so I wouldn't have to answer the door for my ex.
I pretended not to be home so I wouldn't have to open the door for my ex.
Relatable social avoidance humor.
Don't answer the door! We don't know who is out there in the dark.
Don't open the door! We don't know who is out there in the dark.
Creates tension and emphasizes the unknown visitor.
셀프 테스트
Fill in the missing word to complete the collocation.
I heard a knock, so I went to ______ the door.
While 'open' is okay, 'answer' is the most natural collocation when responding to a knock.
Which sentence is the most natural for a casual situation at home?
You are busy and want your brother to open the door for a friend.
'Get the door' is the standard informal version of 'answer the door'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Did you see the mailman? B: No, I was in the back garden, so I didn't ______.
Both 'answer the door' and 'get the door' fit perfectly in this context.
Match the phrase to the reason it's used.
Why do we say 'answer' the door?
The verb 'answer' implies a response to a signal or summons.
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb.
Yesterday, I ______ the door five times for different delivery drivers.
The sentence requires the past simple tense 'answered'.
Identify the error in this sentence: 'I am going to answer door.'
What is missing?
In English, we say 'answer THE door'.
🎉 점수: /6
시각 학습 자료
Answer vs. Open
Who is at the door?
Friends
- • Neighbor
- • Best friend
- • Family
Services
- • Pizza guy
- • Mailman
- • Plumber
Strangers
- • Salesman
- • Pollster
- • Lost person
연습 문제 은행
6 연습 문제I heard a knock, so I went to ______ the door.
While 'open' is okay, 'answer' is the most natural collocation when responding to a knock.
You are busy and want your brother to open the door for a friend.
'Get the door' is the standard informal version of 'answer the door'.
A: Did you see the mailman? B: No, I was in the back garden, so I didn't ______.
Both 'answer the door' and 'get the door' fit perfectly in this context.
Why do we say 'answer' the door?
The verb 'answer' implies a response to a signal or summons.
Yesterday, I ______ the door five times for different delivery drivers.
The sentence requires the past simple tense 'answered'.
What is missing?
In English, we say 'answer THE door'.
🎉 점수: /6
자주 묻는 질문
14 질문No, 'reply' is used for words or emails. For doors, we always use 'answer'.
It's not slang, but it is very informal. It's perfectly fine to use with friends and family.
Then you just 'open the door'. You only 'answer' it if someone is on the other side.
It is 'answer the door'. You don't need the word 'at'.
Yes, if there is a bell or a knock, you can 'answer the gate'.
Because we are answering the *summons* or the *call* of the visitor, not the wood of the door itself.
Only in very formal places like luxury hotels or in historical movies.
Ignoring the door or 'pretending not to be home'.
Yes, that is also correct and very common.
Yes, you can say 'I answered the door to a stranger.'
Yes, it is standard in all major varieties of English.
Say 'I am responsible for greeting visitors and answering the door.'
Not literally, but we often joke 'The dog answered the door' if the dog runs to it first.
'Answering' implies there was a knock; 'opening' is just the physical movement.
관련 표현
get the door
similarInformal version of answer the door
answer the phone
builds onTo pick up a ringing phone
open the door
similarThe physical act of opening
see who it is
similarTo check the identity of a visitor
keep an open door policy
specialized formBeing always available to talk
show someone the door
contrastTo ask someone to leave
