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		infinitive				participle
non-finite forms		active		passive		active		passive
present		spondēre		spondērī		spondēns		—
future		spōnsūrum esse		spōnsum īrī		spōnsūrus		spondendus
perfect		spopondisse, spepondisse		spōnsum esse		—		spōnsus
future perfect		—		spōnsum fore		—		—
perfect potential		spōnsūrum fuisse		—		—		—
verbal nouns		gerund					supine
		genitive	dative		accusative	ablative	accusative		ablative
		spondendī	spondendō		spondendum	spondendō	spōnsum		spōnsū

¹At least one use of the Old Latin "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