promete
/pro-MEH-teh/
promises
A pinky swear represents a vow or a promise being made.
promete(verb)
promises
?when he, she, it, or you (formal) make a vow
gives his/her word
?formal commitment
📝 In Action
Él promete que terminará el trabajo mañana.
A2He promises that he will finish the work tomorrow.
Usted promete mucho, pero hace poco.
B1You promise a lot, but you do little.
💡 Grammar Points
Who is promising?
Use 'promete' when talking about a third person (he, she, or a thing) or when speaking politely to someone using 'usted'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using it for 'I promise'
Mistake: "Yo promete que voy."
Correction: Say 'Yo prometo' when talking about yourself. 'Promete' is for other people.
⭐ Usage Tips
Adding 'que'
In Spanish, we almost always put the word 'que' (that) after 'promete' if a full sentence follows, even though English often skips 'that'.
A new sprout looks promising as it shows the potential for growth.
promete(verb)
looks promising
?events or things showing potential
shows promise
?indicating a good future result
📝 In Action
Esta fiesta promete ser la mejor del año.
B1This party looks like it's going to be the best of the year.
La situación no promete nada bueno.
B2The situation doesn't show much promise (doesn't look good).
💡 Grammar Points
Non-human subjects
When used this way, the 'thing' is doing the promising. If the party 'promete,' it means the party is showing signs of being great.
⭐ Usage Tips
Positive vs Negative
You can use this for negative things too, like 'La tormenta promete ser fuerte' (The storm looks like it will be strong).
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: promete
Question 1 of 2
If someone says 'La cena promete,' what do they mean?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'promete' a command?
Yes, it can be! If you are speaking to a friend (tú), '¡Promete!' means 'Promise!' (as a command).
What is the difference between 'promete' and 'promesa'?
'Promete' is an action (he/she promises), while 'promesa' is the noun (a promise).