Breakdown of El candidato responde a cada pregunta con calma.
a
to
la pregunta
the question
con calma
calmly
cada
each
responder
to answer
el candidato
the candidate
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?
It’s the present indicative, third person singular of responder. It can describe:
- An action happening right now: “is answering” (often Spanish uses the simple present for this).
- A habitual/general action: “answers (whenever asked).”
Could I say está respondiendo to emphasize “is answering (right now)”?
Yes: El candidato está respondiendo a cada pregunta con calma. The present progressive highlights an action in progress. Both forms are correct; the simple present is very common in Spanish even for current actions.
What’s the nuance of cada pregunta vs todas las preguntas?
- Cada pregunta = “each question,” focusing on them one by one.
- Todas las preguntas = “all the questions,” focusing on the whole set. Both are correct; choose based on the nuance you want.
Does cada force the noun to be singular?
Yes. Cada is always followed by a singular noun: cada pregunta, cada persona. It still refers to the whole set distributively (one by one). If you need a pronoun, use cada uno/una.
How would I say it for a female candidate?
Change the noun and article to feminine:
- La candidata responde a cada pregunta con calma.
Can I omit the subject and just say Responde a cada pregunta con calma?
Yes, if the subject is clear from context. Spanish often drops subject pronouns/nouns when they’re inferable. Without context, Responde… is ambiguous (he/she/it/you-formal).
Can I move con calma earlier in the sentence?
Yes. Spanish word order is flexible with adverbial phrases. All of these are natural:
- El candidato responde con calma a cada pregunta.
- Con calma, el candidato responde a cada pregunta. (more stylistic)
Is con calma the only or best way to say “calmly”?
It’s very idiomatic and common. Alternatives:
- tranquilamente
- con tranquilidad
- less common but correct: calmadamente They all work; con calma and tranquilamente are especially natural.
Can I use an adjective like responde calmado?
You can, but it changes the feel slightly:
- Responde con calma / tranquilamente describes the manner of answering (adverbial).
- Responde calmado / tranquilo describes the candidate’s state while answering. It’s acceptable, but the adverbial options are more neutral for “answers calmly.”
How do pronouns work if I want to replace a cada pregunta?
With the responder a + thing pattern, replace the noun phrase with a demonstrative or a pronoun phrase:
- El candidato responde a cada una con calma.
- If referring back to previously mentioned questions: El candidato responde a ellas con calma. Note: We normally don’t use le/les for inanimate “a + thing” here. Use a eso / a ella(s) instead.
If I use the direct-object pattern (responder la pregunta), how do I replace it with a pronoun?
Treat it like a direct object:
- El candidato la responde con calma. (referring to la pregunta)
- Plural: El candidato las responde todas con calma. With compound verbs, clitic placement follows the usual rules:
- La va a responder / Va a responderla
Is the a in responde a cada pregunta the “personal a”?
No. Here a is required by the verb’s construction (responder a + complemento). The “personal a” is used before direct objects that are people (e.g., Veo a Juan). Pregunta is a thing, not a person.
What does responder por mean, and can I use it here?
Responder por means “to vouch for/be accountable for.” It’s not used for answering questions. So don’t say responde por cada pregunta in this context.
What’s the difference between pregunta and cuestión?
- Pregunta is an actual question someone asks.
- Cuestión is an issue/matter/topic. In many contexts they’re not interchangeable: answering “questions” is preguntas, discussing “issues” is cuestiones.
Any accent issues with El?
Yes: El (article) has no accent; Él (pronoun) does. In your sentence it’s the article: El candidato… If you used the pronoun: Él responde…
How do I make the whole sentence plural?
Make both subject and verb plural, and keep agreement throughout:
- Los candidatos responden a cada pregunta con calma. If the addressee is plural questions, you still use singular after cada: cada pregunta.
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