El candidato responde a cada pregunta con calma.

The candidate answers each question calmly.

Breakdown of El candidato responde a cada pregunta con calma.

• a: to
• la pregunta: the question
• con calma: calmly
• cada: each

Questions & Answers about El candidato responde a cada pregunta con calma.

Why is it responde a and not just responde or responde cada pregunta?

With the meaning “to answer (a question),” Spanish commonly uses responder a + thing: responder a una pregunta. You can also use responder without an object if context makes it clear: No responde. In much of Latin America, the direct-object form responder la pregunta is also widely used and accepted. In careful or formal Spanish, responder a la pregunta is often preferred. So all of these can be heard:

• Responde a la pregunta.
• Responde la pregunta.
• Responde.

Could I use contesta instead of responde?

Yes. Contestar is a near-synonym of responder in this sense. Both are standard. With contestar, both patterns are fully standard:

• Contesta a cada pregunta.
• Contesta cada pregunta. Use whichever you prefer; in some regions, contestar sounds a bit more colloquial, but it’s perfectly fine.

What tense and person is responde?