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Learn Hardcore Italian: Ti rispondo subito. - I’ll answer you right away.

Hardcore Italian
/Lesson 61
/Ti rispondo subito.

Ti rispondo subito.

Word

Ti rispondo subito.

Meaning

I’ll answer you right away.

Part of speech

sentence

Pronunciation

Course

Hardcore Italian

Lesson

Breakdown of Ti rispondo subito.

Questions & Answers about Ti rispondo subito.

Why is ti used here?

Ti is the unstressed object pronoun meaning to you in this sentence.

With rispondere, Italian usually expresses the person you answer with an indirect object:

Rispondo a Marco = I answer Marco / I answer to Marco
Ti rispondo = I answer you / I reply to you

So even though English just says I answer you or more often I reply to you, Italian uses ti.

Why isn’t it te instead of ti?

Because ti is the clitic pronoun used before the verb.

Compare:

Ti rispondo subito. = I’ll answer you right away.
Rispondo a te. = I’m answering you. / I answer you.
This version is more emphatic, as if contrasting with someone else.

ti = normal unstressed form before the verb
te = stressed form, usually after a preposition like a

What tense is rispondo?

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Rispondo is present indicative, first person singular, from rispondere.

So literally it is:

(io) rispondo = I answer / I am answering

In Italian, the present tense is often used for something happening now or very soon, so Ti rispondo subito can naturally mean:

I’m answering you right away
I’ll answer you right away

The exact English translation depends on context.

Why is there no io?

Italian often leaves out subject pronouns when they are clear from the verb ending.

rispondo already tells you the subject is I
so io is not necessary

You can say:

Ti rispondo subito. = neutral, natural
Io ti rispondo subito. = adds emphasis, like I’ll answer you right away

Italian drops subject pronouns much more often than English does.

What does subito mean exactly?

Subito means immediately, right away, or at once.

In everyday speech, it often sounds natural as:

right away
straight away
in a moment

So Ti rispondo subito suggests the speaker will reply without delay.

Why does ti come before the verb?

In normal affirmative sentences, short object pronouns like mi, ti, lo, la, ci, vi, gli, le usually come before the conjugated verb.

Ti rispondo
Ti scrivo
Ti parlo

Not:

Rispondo ti ❌

Pronouns can attach to the end of the verb in some other structures, such as infinitives, imperatives, and gerunds:

risponderti = to answer you
rispondimi = answer me

But in Ti rispondo subito, the normal position is before the verb.

Is rispondere followed by a direct object or an indirect object?

Usually, rispondere takes an indirect object for the person you answer.

Examples:

Rispondo a Maria.
Gli rispondo.
Ti rispondo.

This is important because English learners often expect a direct-object pattern from English answer someone. But in Italian, the person is generally introduced with a or replaced by an indirect object pronoun.

You can think of it as closer to reply to someone.

Could I also say Rispondo subito without ti?

Yes, if the person being answered is already understood from context.

Ti rispondo subito. = I’ll answer you right away.
Rispondo subito. = I’ll answer right away.

Including ti makes the addressee explicit.

How would I say this more formally?

To address someone formally, use Le instead of ti:

Le rispondo subito.

This is the polite singular form, used with Lei.

Ti rispondo subito. = informal you
Le rispondo subito. = formal you

Notice that Le is capitalized in formal writing, though in modern usage capitalization may vary.

How is this different from Ti risponderò subito?

Ti rispondo subito uses the present tense, while Ti risponderò subito uses the future tense.

Ti rispondo subito = I’m replying right away / I’ll reply right away
Ti risponderò subito = I will reply right away

In many everyday situations, Italian prefers the present tense for a near-future action, so Ti rispondo subito often sounds very natural and immediate.

The future can sound a bit more explicit or sometimes slightly more formal, depending on context.

Can subito go in other positions?

Yes, although Ti rispondo subito is the most natural and common order.

You may also hear:

Subito ti rispondo
Ti rispondo, subito

But these usually add a particular emphasis or rhythm. For a learner, Ti rispondo subito is the safest and most standard choice.

How would this sound in a real conversation?

It sounds very natural and common. A speaker might say it when they have just seen a message, heard a question, or want to reassure someone they are not being ignored.

For example:

Aspetta un secondo, ti rispondo subito. = Wait a second, I’ll answer you right away.
Ho visto il tuo messaggio: ti rispondo subito. = I saw your message: I’ll reply right away.

It gives a feeling of promptness and availability.

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