What's the difference between respuesta and repuesta?

Question

What is the difference between respuesta and repuesta?

SpanishDict tells me that both mean 'response'. What's the difference? Why is it spelled differently?

Welcome to the forum , we want to help you so fill out your profile If you have a problem PM a mod Bienvenido al foro. Queremos ayudarle, entonces hay que llenar su perfil. Si hay un problema, envíe un mensaje personal (PM) - ray76, Dec 15, 2015

Because it assumes that you mean "respuesta", which is the correct way. - ray76, Dec 15, 2015

Hi now you have your answers so please fill out your profile. - ray76, Dec 15, 2015

Answer 1

You may want to check what "repuesto" means. Repuesta is the feminine word. They come from the infinitive verb "reponer".

Estoy buscando un repuesto para mi auto. (I'm looking for a spare part for my car.)
El auto, which is a masculine noun, needs the masculine word repuesto.
According to spanishdict translator, repuesto in this context is a spare part. I did not know that before. I've learnt something new as well

Su cámara de fotos fue robada y a pesar de que tenía una garantía, aún no le ha sido repuesta. (Her camera was stolen and even though she had a guarantee, they still haven't given her another one.)
La cámara, which is a feminine noun, needs the feminine word repuesta.

Thanks mate , that one is new to me also , I love a new word we must use iit on the "Drop one take one " thread. - ray76, Dec 15, 2015

Answer 2

However you can use "repuesta" as an adjective. p.ej.

La bicicleta perdida fue repuesta por otra. Here it means "replaced."

The lost bicycle was replaced by another. I know that there is another more usual verb (reemplazar) that one can use, but I checked mine with SD translator and the translator liked it.

Answer 3

Only to clarify Mariifer answer:

Mariifer said: Estoy buscando un repuesto para mi auto. (I'm looking for a spare part for my car.) El auto, which is a male noun, needs the masculine word repuesto.

This is not true, you used repuesto because it is the only way to say in Spanish the word spare. Repuesto as spare have no female form. Besides respuesto acts here as direct object and it is not semantic-related to para el coche.

As example of my explanation I will use the same example with moto. In Spanish it is female, so:

Estoy buscando un repuesto para mi moto

Another example:

Estoy buscando un repuesto para mi radio

Both are female noums but we still use repuesto.

I want to clarify this because that explanation can confuse the people of this forum.

Answer 4

algunTiempo,

While I don't disagree with the previous answers, I think it might all be simpler than that. You said that SpanishDict says both words mean 'response', which surprised me since everyone else was talking about spare parts... so I typed it in. It does not say that repuesta means response, but I can see how you might think so. It says in small text "We couldn't find repuesta. Showing results for respuesta".

PS Welcome to the forum, You'll find people here ready to help you... they have sure helped me.

Good post. - Daniela2041, Dec 15, 2015

:) - ian-hill, Dec 15, 2015

Answer 5

reponer - to replace

respuesta - answer