te lo juro
/te lo xuɾo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'on God' can be translated into Spanish as te lo juro.
The expression is used to emphasize that one is telling the truth or is being serious. While 'on God' is a slang intensifier in English, te lo juro is a standard, widely used expression in Spanish that is not strictly limited to slang.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase te lo juro literally means 'I swear it to you'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form te lo juro uses the informal 'te', making it appropriate for friends or peers. To use the phrase with someone in a formal context, change 'te' to 'se' to get se lo juro.
How do you pronounce it?
/te lo xuɾo/
Did you know?
- Because the verb 'jurar' comes from the Latin 'iurare', it shares a common ancestor with the English word 'jury', linking your 'swear' directly to a group of legal judges.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, adding a physical gesture like touching one's chest or placing a hand on a Bible while saying te lo juro is a common way to signal that the oath is absolutely binding.
- In some Latin American street slang, instead of the standard te lo juro, people might use the word neta to achieve a similar 'no lie' effect.
Examples in context
- Te lo juro, no fue mi culpa.On god, it wasn't my fault.
Example conversation
Javier is trying to convince María that he finished his homework.
- María¿Terminaste la tarea de verdad?Did you really finish the homework?
- JavierSí, te lo juro, ya está.Yes, on god, it is done.
- MaríaNo te creo, Javier.I don't believe you, Javier.
- JavierEs la verdad, te lo juro.It's the truth, I swear it.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries juro, lo, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
