entgegnest

Entgegnest is the second-person singular present indicative form of the German verb entgegnen. Entgegnen means to answer, to retort, or to counter an argument in response to a statement or question. The form entgegnest is used when addressing someone directly.

The verb entgegnen is formed with the prefix ent- attached to gegen, conveying the idea of offering a counter or reply. It is relatively formal and common in written German or persuasive speech. In everyday conversation, speakers often use synonyms such as antworten or widersprechen, depending on nuance.

Grammatically, entgegnen is transitive and typically takes a dative recipient and a clause or proposition as the content of the reply. For example: "Du entgegnest mir, dass du recht hast," or "Sie entgegnete ihm mit einem kurzen Hinweis." Present tense forms include ich entgegne, du entgegnest, er entgegnet. The simple past forms are ich entgegnete, du entgegnetest, er entgegnete. The past participle is entgegnet and appears in compound tenses with haben, as in "Ich habe entgegnet."

Common usage includes phrases like "auf den Einwand entgegnen" to indicate responding to a specific objection. Entgegnen often conveys a measured, argument-focused response and is more likely found in formal, academic, or journalistic writing than in casual conversation.