versprach

Versprach is the simple past tense form of the German verb versprechen, meaning "to promise." It is used to describe a promise made in the past and appears mainly in written German, such as narrative prose or formal reporting, rather than in everyday spoken language.

Etymology and meaning: versprechen is formed with the verb stem sprechen (to speak) combined with the prefix ver- and the ending for past tense forms. The semantic core is the act of giving a promise or assurance.

Usage notes: In contemporary speech, Germans typically prefer the perfect tense hat versprochen to talk about past promises, for example, "Er hat versprochen, pünktlich zu kommen." Versprach, as a past tense form, can occur with various subjects (e.g., ich versprach, er versprach) depending on the sentence structure, and it is common in literary or formal narration to recount what someone promised in the past.

Related forms: The noun Versprechen means "a promise" and is etymologically linked to the verb. The past participle of versprechen is versprochen, used with haben to form the present perfect.

See also: Versprechen, German verb conjugation, Präteritum (simple past), Perfekt (present perfect).