01
reagieren auf
to react to
To respond with an action or statement to an action, statement, or event.
example
Er hat auf meine E-Mail immer noch nicht reagiert.
He still hasn't reacted to my email.
reagieren
to react
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 03
Usage tips
Fixed preposition
The verb 'reagieren' (to react) is almost always used with the preposition 'auf' and the accusative. You should memorize this pattern as a fixed unit: 'reagieren auf etwas/jemanden' (to react to something/someone).
EXAMPLE
Wie hat sie auf die Nachricht reagiert?
How did she react to the news?
Verbs ending in '-ieren'
Verbs that end in '-ieren' are regular and form the past participle without 'ge-'. So it is 'hat reagiert' (has reacted), not 'hat gereagiert'. This is a useful rule for many verbs of Latin origin.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe sofort auf seine Frage reagiert.
I reacted immediately to his question.
Context clue
The context makes clear which meaning is intended. If it is about a person or a message, it refers to a social reaction. If it is about substances such as pollen or nuts, it refers to a physical reaction. In a scientific context, it refers to a chemical reaction.
EXAMPLE
Sie reagierte nicht auf seine Entschuldigung.
She did not react to his apology.
Typical adverbs
To describe the type of reaction, 'reagieren' (to react) is often combined with adverbs. Typical examples are 'schnell' (quickly), 'gelassen' (calmly), 'überrascht' (with surprise), 'wütend' (angrily), or 'gar nicht' (not at all) reagieren.
EXAMPLE
Er hat sehr gelassen auf die Kritik reagiert.
He reacted very calmly to the criticism.
Compare with
reagieren vs beantworten
to answer
'beantworten' and 'reagieren' both have to do with a response to something. Use 'beantworten' when there is a question, a message, a letter, or an inquiry and you give a direct answer. It usually has an accusative object: 'eine Frage beantworten' (to answer a question), 'eine E-Mail beantworten' (to answer an email). 'reagieren' is more general. You can react to words, a situation, behavior, or an event. The reaction does not have to be a clear answer; it can also be an action, a feeling, or silence. Learners confuse these words because both come after something that happened before. When it is about a specific question or message, 'beantworten' fits better. When it is about behavior in a situation, 'reagieren' sounds more natural.
reagieren
Wir reagieren ruhig, wenn es auf der Reise ein Problem gibt.
We react calmly if there is a problem on the trip.
beantworten
Am Montag hat er die E-Mail des Kunden beantwortet.
On Monday, he answered the customer's email.
In real life
Loading video examples...