versprechen

See also: Versprechen

German

Etymology

From Middle High German versprechen (to guarantee), from Old High German firsprehhan (to defend verbally, to warrant). Analyzable as ver- + sprechen. The sense “to misspeak” is a later transparent derivation (see the prefix).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /fɛɐ̯ˈʃpʁɛçən/, /fɐ-/, [-ˈʃpʁɛçən], [-ˈʃpʁɛçn̩]
  • (file)

Verb

versprechen (class 4 strong, third-person singular simple present verspricht, past tense versprach, past participle versprochen, past subjunctive verspräche, auxiliary haben)

  1. (transitive) to promise
    Ich verspreche es dir.
    I promise you. (Literally: I promise it to you.)
    Er hat versprochen, Kuchen mitzubringen.
    He’s promised to bring along cake.
    • 2010, Der Spiegel, issue 52/2010, page 26:
      Wirtschaft und Regierung blicken mit Zuversicht ins nächste Jahr. 2011 verspricht eine Fortsetzung des Aufschwungs.
      Industry and government look with confidence into the next year. 2011 promises a continuation of the economic upswing.
  2. (transitive, with reflexive dative) to expect (something positive); to hope for
    Ich verspreche mir viel davon.
    I expect a lot from it. (Literally: I promise myself a lot...)
  3. (reflexive, with dative object) to promise oneself (to)
    Er hatte sich einer Frau versprochen und heiratete dann eine andere.
    He had promised himself to one woman and then married another.
  4. (reflexive) to make a verbal slip; to misspeak
    Entschuldigung, ich hatte mich versprochen. Ich meinte „hundert“, nicht „tausend“.
    Sorry, I misspoke. I meant “a hundred”, not “a thousand”.

Conjugation

Synonyms

Derived terms

Further reading

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