Cometer

Cometer is a Spanish verb meaning to commit or undertake, used with a direct object to indicate performing or perpetrating an action. It is most common in legal and normative contexts, for example cometer un delito (to commit a crime), cometer un error (to make a mistake), or cometer gastos (to incur expenses). The sense can also cover undertaking a duty or action, such as cometer un acto de diligencia, though the latter is less frequent. The verb often appears in phrases that express attribution of responsibility or fault.

Etymology and cognates: Cometer comes from Latin comittere, formed by com- (together) and mittere (to send). The same root has given rise to related forms in other Romance languages, such as French commettre and Portuguese cometer, all sharing the core sense of entrusting or bringing about an action.

Usage notes: In addition to crimes and errors, cometer is used with words like falta (fault), pecar (to sin), or gasto (expense) to denote incurring or performing those actions. The noun cometido, derived from the past participle, can mean a task, assignment, or duty, and is used in phrases like el cometido de la agencia or un delito cometido (a crime committed).

Conjugation overview: Cometer is a regular -er verb. In the present indicative: yo cometo, tú cometes, él comete, nosotros cometemos, vosotros cometéis, ellos cometen. Other tenses follow standard -er verb patterns, including preterite: cometi, cometiste, cometió, cometimos, cometisteis, cometieron; and the present subjunctive: coma, cometas, coma, cometamos, cometan.

See also: Similar verbs in Romance languages, and common confusion with comenter or comentar, which have different meanings (to comment).