Beantwortung

Beantwortung is a German noun meaning the act of answering or responding. It is formed from the verb beantworten (to answer) with the prefix be- and the nominal suffix -ung, signaling the process or result of the action. The term can refer to both the act of giving an answer and the content of that answer.

In everyday use, Beantwortung describes a reply to a question, request, or statement. It is common in written correspondence, questionnaires, and Q&A formats to designate the response provided by a person or institution. For example, one can speak of the Beantwortung einer Frage or der Beantwortung einer Anfrage.

In legal contexts, Beantwortung denotes the defendant’s formal response to a complaint or petition. The document is typically titled Beantwortung der Klage and must be submitted within a set period under procedural rules. Depending on jurisdiction, Beantwortung may be used interchangeably with Erwiderung, though some legal traditions maintain subtle differences in emphasis or formality.

Beantwortung also appears in administrative or institutional language, where it marks the official reply to inquiries, submissions, or consultation procedures. Related terms include Antwort (answer), Erwiderung (formal rebuttal), and Stellungnahme (statement or position).

Overall, Beantwortung emphasizes the action of replying and is widely used across linguistic, legal, and administrative contexts to denote a concrete response to an input or challenge.