odgovoriti

Odgovoriti is a Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbian verb meaning to answer or to reply, typically in response to a question, statement, or request. It is a perfective verb, used to indicate a completed act of giving an answer. The common construction is odgovoriti na + noun in the accusative, for example odgovoriti na pitanje or odgovoriti na e-mail. It can also be used without an explicit preposition when the context makes the object clear, or in phrases like odgovoriti (to answer) in a general sense.

Conjugation and forms

In present tense (perfective), forms are: odgovorim, odgovoriš, odgovori, odgovorimo, odgovorite, odgovore. Past tense is formed with auxiliaries, for example; rekao je: odgovorio sam (I answered), odgovorila je (she answered), odgovorili smo (we answered). The imperfective counterpart is odgovoravati or odgovarati, used for habitual or ongoing answering, with forms like odgovaram, odgovaraš, odgovara, odgovaramo, odgovarate, odgovaraju.

Etymology and related terms

Odgovoriti derives from the root govor (speech) with the prefix od-, indicating a response directed back. Related nouns include odgovor (an answer, a response) and verbs such as govoriti (to speak) and odgovarati (to respond, to correspond, in imperfective aspect).

Usage notes

Odgovoriti is used to denote a completed act of replying. Typical collocations include odgovoriti na pitanje, odgovoriti na zahtjev, or simply odgovoriti. In formal contexts, polite forms such as odgovori li se, odgovorio bih/odgovorila bih may appear. The term spans everyday conversations, media quotes, and written communication.

See also: govoriti, odgovor, odgovarati.