Obietnica

Obietnica is a noun in Polish that refers to a statement or commitment by which someone promises to do or refrain from something. It denotes a personal pledge, assurance, or guarantee given to another person, and can appear in informal conversation as well as formal discourse. In political contexts, the term is used for campaign promises, i.e., obietnice wyborcze.

Etymology: The word derives from the verb obiecać (“to promise”), via the noun-forming suffix -nica. The root obiec- expresses the act of promising; related forms include obiecywać and obietować, both meaning to promise or pledge.

Usage and nuances: Obietnica emphasizes the content of the promise and the obligation it creates. Common collocations include: złożyć obietnicę (“to make a promise”), dotrzymać obietnicy (“to keep a promise”), and nie dotrzymać obietnicy (“to fail to keep a promise”). The term is used across everyday speech and formal prose; in politics, obietnica wyborcza denotes promises made by candidates. It is less formal than przyrzeczenie or gwarancja, though in some contexts they can be interchangeable.

Examples: Prezydent złożył obietnicę zwiększenia nakładów na edukację. Musimy dotrzymać obietnicy. To była obietnica wyborcza, która nie została spełniona.