Vocabulary
entgegnen
/ɛntˈɡeːɡnən/· verb
to reply, to retort
Answering an argument with a counter-argument — very common in reports of debates: Darauf entgegnete sie, …
CEFR C1Frequency ●●●●●
Your memory
New
Learning
Familiar
Strong
Mastered
Forms
- Konjunktiv I
- er/sie entgegne
Conjugation
- ich
- entgegne
- du
- entgegnest
- er/sie/es
- entgegnet
- wir
- entgegnen
- ihr
- entgegnet
- sie/Sie
- entgegnen
Perfekt hat entgegnetPräteritum entgegnete
One word, many lives
Tap a meaning. Real German isn't a dictionary translation.
entgegnen
to reply, to retort (to someone: jemandem; to something: auf + Akkusativ)
Auf die Kritik entgegnete er, er habe alles versucht.
To the criticism he replied that he had tried everything.
Word family
entgegnendie Entgegnungreply, rejoinderentgegentowards; contrary toder Gegner / die Gegnerinopponent
Common combinations
- scharf entgegnento retort sharply
- jemandem etwas entgegnento reply something to someone
- nichts zu entgegnen wissento have no answer
Similar & opposite
≈ Synonyms
erwidernantworteneinwenden
Common learner mistakes
- Er entgegnete die Frage.Er entgegnete auf die Frage, … / Er beantwortete die Frage.entgegnen takes what is said (Er entgegnete, …) or auf + Akkusativ; the question itself is beantwortet.
Real examples
- Die Anrainerin entgegnete, sie habe nichts gegen Gäste.The resident retorted that she had nothing against guests.
- Was haben Sie darauf zu entgegnen?What do you have to say to that?
- Der Wirt entgegnet, ohne Gäste gebe es kein lebendiges Grätzl.The bar owner replies that without guests there would be no lively neighbourhood.
