How to Say "vows" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “vows” is “promesas” — use 'promesas' for general commitments or promises that may or may not be solemn, often implying they could be broken..
promesas
/proh-MEH-sas//pɾoˈmesas/
Examples
No puedes vivir de promesas vacías.
You can't live on empty promises.
Ella siempre cumple sus promesas.
She always keeps her promises.
Hicieron muchas promesas antes de las elecciones.
They made many promises before the elections.
Feminine Plural
Since the base word promesa ends in '-a', it is a feminine word. The plural form promesas always takes feminine articles and adjectives, like las promesas (the promises) or promesas importantes (important promises).
Using the wrong article
Mistake: “Los promesas son importantes.”
Correction: Las promesas son importantes. Remember to use 'las' because 'promesas' is feminine and plural.
votos
BOH-tohs/ˈbotos/
Examples
Los novios intercambiaron sus votos matrimoniales.
The bride and groom exchanged their marriage vows.
La monja hizo votos de pobreza y obediencia.
The nun took vows of poverty and obedience.
Romper los votos es una traición a la promesa.
Breaking the vows is a betrayal of the promise.
Types of Vows
In religious contexts, 'votos' are often followed by 'de' plus the virtue being promised: 'votos de castidad' (vows of chastity).
Promesas vs. Votos
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