spondeo

From Proto-Italic *spondeō, from earlier *spondejō, from Proto-Indo-European *spondéyeti, causative verb from *spend- (“to perform a rite, make an offering”). Cognates include Ancient Greek σπένδω (spéndō, “libate”), σπονδή (spondḗ, “libation”).

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈspon.de.oː/, [ˈs̠pɔn̪d̪eoː]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈspon.de.o/, [ˈspɔn̪d̪eo]

Verb

spondeō (present infinitive spondēre, perfect active spopondī, supine spōnsum); second conjugation

to promise, bind or pledge oneself, contract, vow
Synonyms: dēspondeō, voveō, ostentō, profiteor, prōmittō, stipulor, pangō, polliceor
to guarantee
to promise for another; to become security for a person, enter bail
to promise or engage in marriage, betroth

Conjugation

This verb has only limited passive conjugation; only third-person passive forms are attested in surviving sources. The third principal part may be spopondī or spepondī.

Conjugation of spondeō (second conjugation)

indicative		singular			plural
indicative		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	spondeō	spondēs	spondet	spondēmus	spondētis	spondent
	imperfect	spondēbam	spondēbās	spondēbat	spondēbāmus	spondēbātis	spondēbant
	future	spondēbō	spondēbis	spondēbit	spondēbimus	spondēbitis	spondēbunt
	perfect	spopondī, spepondī	spopondistī, spepondistī	spopondit, spepondit	spopondimus, spepondimus	spopondistis, spepondistis	spopondērunt, spopondēre, spepondērunt, spepondēre
	pluperfect	spoponderam, speponderam	spoponderās, speponderās	spoponderat, speponderat	spoponderāmus, speponderāmus	spoponderātis, speponderātis	spoponderant, speponderant
	future perfect	spoponderō, speponderō	spoponderis, speponderis	spoponderit, speponderit	spoponderimus, speponderimus	spoponderitis, speponderitis	spoponderint, speponderint
	sigmatic future¹	spōnsō	spōnsis	spōnsit	spōnsimus	spōnsitis	spōnsint
passive	present	spondeor	spondēris, spondēre	spondētur	spondēmur	spondēminī	spondentur
	imperfect	spondēbar	spondēbāris, spondēbāre	spondēbātur	spondēbāmur	spondēbāminī	spondēbantur
	future	spondēbor	spondēberis, spondēbere	spondēbitur	spondēbimur	spondēbiminī	spondēbuntur
	perfect	spōnsus + present active indicative of sum
	pluperfect	spōnsus + imperfect active indicative of sum
	future perfect	spōnsus + future active indicative of sum
subjunctive		singular			plural
subjunctive		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	spondeam	spondeās	spondeat	spondeāmus	spondeātis	spondeant
imperfect	spondērem	spondērēs	spondēret	spondērēmus	spondērētis	spondērent
perfect	spoponderim, speponderim	spoponderīs, speponderīs	spoponderit, speponderit	spoponderīmus, speponderīmus	spoponderītis, speponderītis	spoponderint, speponderint
pluperfect	spopondissem, spepondissem	spopondissēs, spepondissēs	spopondisset, spepondisset	spopondissēmus, spepondissēmus	spopondissētis, spepondissētis	spopondissent, spepondissent
sigmatic aorist¹	spōnsim	spōnsīs	spōnsīt	spōnsīmus	spōnsītis	spōnsint
passive	present	spondear	spondeāris, spondeāre	spondeātur	spondeāmur	spondeāminī	spondeantur
imperfect	spondērer	spondērēris, spondērēre	spondērētur	spondērēmur	spondērēminī	spondērentur
perfect	spōnsus + present active subjunctive of sum
pluperfect	spōnsus + imperfect active subjunctive of sum
imperative		singular			plural
imperative		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	—	spondē	—	—	spondēte	—
active	future	—	spondētō	spondētō	—	spondētōte	spondentō
passive	present	—	spondēre	—	—	spondēminī	—
passive	future	—	spondētor	spondētor	—	—	spondentor
non-finite forms		active			passive
non-finite forms		present	perfect	future	present	perfect	future
infinitives		spondēre	spopondisse, spepondisse	spōnsūrum esse	spondērī	spōnsum esse	spōnsum īrī
participles		spondēns	—	spōnsūrus	—	spōnsus	spondendus
verbal nouns		gerund				supine
		genitive	dative	accusative	ablative	accusative	ablative
		spondendī	spondendō	spondendum	spondendō	spōnsum	spōnsū

¹At least one use of the archaic "sigmatic future" and "sigmatic aorist" tenses is attested, which are used by Old Latin writers; most notably Plautus and Terence. The sigmatic future is generally ascribed a future or future perfect meaning, while the sigmatic aorist expresses a possible desire ("might want to").

Derived terms

Related terms

References

“spondeo”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“spondeo”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
spondeo in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
“spondeo”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin
Sihler, Andrew L. (1995) New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN
treccani.it, at "spondèo" page