te lo prometo
/te lo pɾometo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I promise you" is translated into Spanish as te lo prometo.
This phrase is used to assure someone that you will definitely do something or that something is true. You can use related expressions such as Lo juro (I swear to it), Te lo garantizo (I guarantee it to you) or Te doy mi palabra (I give you my word). For an even more emphatic version, you can say Te lo prometo en cuerpo y alma, which means "I promise you with all my heart and soul".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase te lo prometo literally breaks down into te (to you), lo (it) and prometo (I promise).
Which one should you use?
While te lo prometo is a promise, te lo juro means "I swear it to you" and is a stronger oath or swear, often used to emphasize truthfulness.
How does it change in a sentence?
Additionally, the pronoun lo changes to la if the thing being promised is a feminine noun, such as la verdad (the truth), resulting in te la prometo.
How do you pronounce it?
/te lo pɾometo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, promising something 'on the life' of a loved one, such as te lo juro por la vida de mi madre, is considered a much more binding and serious commitment than a simple te lo prometo.
- In Spanish, the word promesa for 'promise' shares its root with the word promover, meaning 'to promote'. Both come from the Latin root meaning 'to move forward' or 'to put forward'.
- While te lo prometo is a verbal commitment, some Spanish speakers traditionally sealed a promise with a 'pacto de sangre' or 'blood pact' in historical or folkloric contexts to make it unbreakable.
Examples in context
- Te decapitaré y te lo prometo.I will behead you. I promise you that.This sentence shows how to use te lo prometo to reinforce a statement.Tatoeba #5157544 by mervert1, translation #5094422 by al_ex_an_der
- Te prometo que nos divertiremos mucho en nuestra próxima aventura.I promise we will have a lot of fun on our next adventure.
- Prometo que siempre estaré a tu lado, pase lo que pase.I promise I will always be by your side no matter what happens.
- Te lo prometo, iré a tu fiesta.I promise you, I will go to your party.
- No diré nada a nadie, te lo prometo.I won't tell anyone, I promise you.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are talking about a secret.
- ElenaPor favor, no le digas a nadie.Please, don't tell anyone.
- DanielNo se lo diré a nadie, te lo prometo.I won't tell anyone, I promise you.
- Elena¿De verdad puedo confiar en ti, Daniel?Can I really trust you, Daniel?
- DanielSí, Elena, puedes confiar en mí.Yes, Elena, you can trust me.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
