Inklingo
Two stylized cartoon hands linking their pinky fingers firmly together, symbolizing a promise or commitment.

prometo

pro-MEH-toh

VerbA1regular er
I promise?Making a personal commitment or assurance.
Also:I vow?A more formal or solemn promise.,I give my word?Emphasizing the sincerity of the promise.

Quick Reference

infinitiveprometer
gerundprometiendo
past Participleprometido

📝 In Action

Te prometo que llegaré a tiempo.

A1

I promise you I will arrive on time.

Prometo estudiar más para el próximo examen.

A2

I promise to study more for the next exam.

Si me ayudas, te prometo una recompensa.

B1

If you help me, I promise you a reward.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • prometo solemnementeI solemnly promise
  • prometo que síI promise I will
  • te lo prometoI promise you

Idioms & Expressions

  • prometer el oro y el moroTo promise the moon and the stars; to make extravagant, unrealistic promises.

💡 Grammar Points

Saying 'I promise to...'

After 'prometo', if you're promising to do something yourself, just add the base '-ar', '-er', or '-ir' form of the next verb. For example, 'Prometo llamar' (I promise to call).

Promising 'that' something will happen

To promise that something else will happen or that someone else will do something, use 'prometo que...'. For example, 'Te prometo que todo estará bien' (I promise you that everything will be okay).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Adding an extra 'a'

Mistake: "Prometo a llamar."

Correction: Prometo llamar. Unlike some other verbs, 'prometer' connects directly to the next verb without needing a little word like 'a' in between.

⭐ Usage Tips

Making it stronger

To make your promise sound more sincere or to emphasize who you're promising, you can say 'Te lo prometo', which is a very common way of saying 'I promise you that'.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedpromete
yoprometo
prometes
ellos/ellas/ustedesprometen
nosotrosprometemos
vosotrosprometéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedprometía
yoprometía
prometías
ellos/ellas/ustedesprometían
nosotrosprometíamos
vosotrosprometíais

preterite

él/ella/ustedprometió
yoprometí
prometiste
ellos/ellas/ustedesprometieron
nosotrosprometimos
vosotrosprometisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedprometa
yoprometa
prometas
ellos/ellas/ustedesprometan
nosotrosprometamos
vosotrosprometáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedprometiera
yoprometiera
prometieras
ellos/ellas/ustedesprometieran
nosotrosprometiéramos
vosotrosprometierais

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: prometo

Question 1 of 1

How would you say 'I promise to help' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'prometo' and 'juro'?

'Prometo' means 'I promise' and is a strong, personal commitment. 'Juro' means 'I swear' and is even stronger, often suggesting you're swearing on something sacred or important, like in a courtroom ('lo juro'). For everyday promises, 'prometo' is more common.

If 'prometo' is 'I promise', how do I say 'You promise'?

You would use a different ending. For a friend ('tú'), you'd say 'prometes'. For someone you're speaking to formally ('usted'), you'd say 'promete'. The verb changes based on who is doing the promising.