Answering Yes-or-No Questions
Now you remember how to ask yes-or-no questions. Let's review how to respond to them. You can always answer with a simple
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Short answer:
Affirmative long answer:
Negative long answer:
Remember to make the verb negative as well when you answer a question negatively. English requires the auxiliaries “don't” and “doesn't” in front of the verb, but in Spanish you simply put no in front of the verb to make it negative: I don't play the guitar > Yo no toco la guitarra.
Subject and Verb Changes
Sometimes you have to change the subject and conjugation of the verb when you answer a question. If the subject of the question is “I,” for example, the subject in the response will be “you.” If someone asks about “you,” you'll have to respond with “I” If the question asks about “us,” the subject in the response could either be “we” or “you” in the plural. Take a minute to look over the following table:
Question Subject |
Answer Subject |
Let's look at a few examples so you feel more comfortable with the changes that may occur when you answer a yes-or-no question in Spanish:
Question: Do I need money today?
Answer: Yes, you need money today.
Question: Are you Colombian?
Answer: No, I'm not Colombian.
Omission and Inclusion of Subject Pronouns
You probably remember that the subject pronouns are not necessary in Spanish when the subject is clearly understood, as is usually the case when you answer a question. If I ask you how your friend is, the subject in your answer will undoubtedly be your friend. You don't have to repeat it in your answer. However, you might choose to include a subject pronoun in your answer to emphasize the subject. For example,
The subject pronoun is often omitted in Spanish, especially in the yo, tú, nosotros, and vosotros conjugations because the verb ending makes it clear what the subject is. Subject pronouns are more commonly used for the third-person singular and plural conjugations to clarify what the subject is.
Practice: Answering Yes-or-No Questions
Read each question and respond completely with either
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