versprechen vs versichern
German word comparison
Listen to versprechen
Listen to versichern
| versprechen | versichern |
|---|---|
ver-SPRECH-en verb | fɛɐ̯ˈzɪçɐn verb |
| to promise; to assure; (reflexive) to misspeak or make a slip of the tongue | to assure or guarantee; to tell someone something with certainty |
How they differ
Versprechen commits to do something in the future; versichern focuses on removing doubt by giving reassurance or a guarantee. Versichern is frequently used to reassure someone about facts or outcomes, rather than to solemnly pledge one's future action.
When to use each
When to use versprechen: Use versprechen when you want to make a promise about what you will do.
When to use versichern: Use versichern when you want to reassure someone, guarantee that something is true, or formally give an assurance.
Side-by-side examples
- Er hat versprochen, das Geld bis Freitag zurückzuzahlen.
(He promised to pay back the money by Friday.) - Er versichert mir, dass das Geld bis Freitag zurückgezahlt wird.
(He assures me that the money will be paid back by Friday.)
Register & nuance: Versichern is neutral to formal and common in spoken reassurance, official statements, and legal/business contexts.