cometer in 30 Seconds
- Cometer is used for negative actions like errors and crimes.
- It is a regular -er verb in Spanish.
- Never use it for positive commitments (use comprometerse instead).
- Commonly paired with 'error', 'delito', and 'falta'.
The Spanish verb cometer is a foundational term used primarily to describe the performance of an action that is perceived as negative, erroneous, or illegal. Derived from the Latin committere, which originally meant 'to join' or 'to entrust,' the Spanish evolution has narrowed its scope significantly compared to the English 'commit.' While in English you can 'commit to a relationship' or 'commit to a cause,' in Spanish, cometer is almost exclusively reserved for mistakes, crimes, and moral failings.
- Primary Usage
- Used with nouns like error, delito (crime), or falta (fault).
- Negative Connotation
- Unlike 'realizar' or 'hacer', cometer implies a lapse in judgment or a violation of rules.
- Grammatical Category
- It is a transitive verb, meaning it always requires a direct object—you must commit *something*.
"Es humano cometer errores, pero es de sabios rectificar." (It is human to commit errors, but wise to rectify them.)
In a legal context, cometer is the standard verb for the perpetration of an offense. Whether it is a minor infraction (infracción) or a serious felony (crimen), the verb remains the same. This consistency makes it a high-frequency word in news reporting and legal documentation. However, in daily life, you will most frequently hear it in the context of personal apologies or workplace feedback. It carries a weight of responsibility; when you say 'cometí un error,' you are explicitly taking ownership of a specific failure.
"El sospechoso admitió cometer el robo a plena luz del día."
- Etymology
- From Latin committere (cum- 'together' + mittere 'to send').
- Collocation
- Commonly paired with 'una injusticia' (an injustice).
"No queremos cometer la misma equivocación que el año pasado."
Using cometer correctly requires understanding its transitive nature and its specific 'collocational' partners. In Spanish, certain verbs 'glue' to certain nouns. Cometer is the glue for almost any noun representing a failure or a crime. To use it, you simply follow the standard conjugation for -er verbs, which is entirely regular in all tenses.
- Present: Yo cometo, tú cometes, él comete...
- Preterite: Yo cometí, tú cometiste, él cometió...
- Future: Yo cometeré, tú cometerás...
The most common structure is: [Subject] + [Conjugated Cometer] + [Article] + [Negative Noun]. For example: 'El árbitro cometió una injusticia' (The referee committed an injustice). Note that you cannot use cometer without an object. You cannot just say 'Yo cometí' without specifying what was committed.
"Si cometes un fraude, perderás tu licencia profesional."
In professional settings, cometer is used to maintain a formal tone. Instead of saying 'hice algo mal' (I did something wrong), saying 'cometí una falta' (I committed a fault/infraction) sounds more precise and professional. It is also used in the passive voice or with 'se' for impersonal statements: 'Se cometieron varios errores en el proceso' (Several errors were committed in the process).
You will encounter cometer in three primary domains: the legal system, the educational/professional sphere, and the news media. In the legal system, it is the standard verb for describing criminal acts. Lawyers, judges, and police officers use it constantly. 'El acusado cometió el delito bajo presión' (The accused committed the crime under pressure).
In educational and professional spheres, it is the go-to word for discussing mistakes. A teacher might say, 'No cometan el error de olvidar los acentos' (Don't commit the error of forgetting the accents). In a business meeting, a manager might analyze 'los errores cometidos en el último trimestre' (the errors committed in the last quarter).
Finally, in news media, cometer is ubiquitous. Headlines often read: 'Se comete un nuevo atentado en la capital' or 'Políticos acusados de cometer malversación de fondos.' It provides a neutral, factual tone to reporting on negative events. You will rarely hear it in casual gossip unless the mistake being discussed is significant or formal.
The most frequent mistake for English speakers is over-extension. In English, you can 'commit to a goal' or 'commit to a person.' If you translate this literally into Spanish using cometer, you will be misunderstood. To 'commit to a goal' is comprometerse con una meta. Using cometer here would sound like you are saying the goal is a crime or a mistake.
Another mistake is using 'hacer' instead of cometer for errors. While 'hacer un error' is understandable, it is considered a 'calque' (a literal translation from English 'to make a mistake') and is often marked as incorrect in exams or formal writing. Always prefer 'cometer un error.'
Lastly, learners sometimes forget that cometer is transitive. You cannot say 'Él cometió' and stop. You must specify: 'Él cometió un pecado' or 'Él cometió una imprudencia.' Without the object, the sentence is grammatically incomplete in Spanish.
While cometer is the most common verb for negative actions, several synonyms exist depending on the intensity and context:
- Perpetrar: This is even more formal and usually reserved for serious crimes or atrocities. You 'perpetrate' a massacre or a heist.
- Incurrir: Used specifically with 'en'. 'Incurrir en un error' or 'incurrir en un gasto.' It suggests falling into a state or condition.
- Efectuar / Realizar: These are neutral verbs for 'to carry out.' They can be used for mistakes in technical contexts but lack the inherent 'wrongness' of cometer.
- Pifiar (Slang): In some regions, this means to mess up or 'commit a blunder' in a very casual way.
Choosing between these depends on the 'register' (formality). Use cometer for 90% of situations, perpetrar for the evening news, and incurrir for legal contracts.
How Formal Is It?
Difficulty Rating
Grammar to Know
Direct Object Pronouns with cometer
Regular -er verb conjugation
The use of 'se' for impersonal actions
Subjunctive mood with expressions of doubt/possibility
Passive voice constructions
Examples by Level
Yo cometo un error.
I make a mistake.
Present tense, 1st person singular.
¿Tú cometes errores?
Do you make mistakes?
Question form.
Él no comete errores.
He doesn't make mistakes.
Negative sentence.
Nosotros cometemos errores a veces.
We make mistakes sometimes.
Present tense, 1st person plural.
Ellos cometen un error hoy.
They make a mistake today.
Present tense, 3rd person plural.
Usted comete un error, señor.
You make a mistake, sir.
Formal 'usted'.
Cometer un error es normal.
To make a mistake is normal.
Infinitive as subject.
No quiero cometer un error.
I don't want to make a mistake.
Infinitive after 'querer'.
Ayer cometí un error pequeño.
Yesterday I made a small mistake.
Preterite tense.
¿Cometiste un error en la tarea?
Did you make a mistake on the homework?
Preterite question.
El jugador cometió una falta.
The player committed a foul.
Noun 'falta'.
No cometimos ningún error grave.
We didn't make any serious mistake.
Negative preterite.
Ella siempre cometía los mismos errores.
She always used to make the same mistakes.
Imperfect tense.
Estás cometiendo un error ahora.
You are making a mistake now.
Present progressive.
Voy a cometer un error si no estudio.
I am going to make a mistake if I don't study.
Future with 'ir a'.
Vimos a alguien cometer un robo.
We saw someone commit a robbery.
Infinitive after perception verb.
Es posible que cometas un error.
It is possible that you make a mistake.
Present subjunctive.
He cometido un error en el informe.
I have made a mistake in the report.
Present perfect.
El político cometió un delito grave.
The politician committed a serious crime.
Noun 'delito'.
Si cometieras un error, ¿qué harías?
If you made a mistake, what would you do?
Imperfect subjunctive.
Habían cometido una injusticia con ella.
They had committed an injustice against her.
Past perfect.
No dejes que cometan ese error.
Don't let them make that mistake.
Imperative + subjunctive.
Cometer un fraude es ilegal.
To commit fraud is illegal.
Abstract noun 'fraude'.
Me arrepiento de haber cometido ese error.
I regret having made that mistake.
Perfect infinitive.
El acusado negó haber cometido el crimen.
The accused denied having committed the crime.
Perfect infinitive.
Cometer una imprudencia puede ser costoso.
Committing an imprudence can be costly.
Noun 'imprudencia'.
Se cometieron varios errores tácticos.
Several tactical errors were committed.
Passive 'se'.
Dudo que hayan cometido tal atrocidad.
I doubt they have committed such an atrocity.
Present perfect subjunctive.
No cometeré la misma torpeza dos veces.
I won't make the same clumsy mistake twice.
Future tense.
Es fácil cometer un desliz en esta situación.
It's easy to make a slip-up in this situation.
Noun 'desliz'.
Cometieron el error de subestimar al rival.
They made the mistake of underestimating the rival.
Infinitive phrase as object.
Habría cometido un error si no me avisas.
I would have made a mistake if you hadn't warned me.
Conditional perfect.
Incurrir en negligencia es cometer un pecado profesional.
To fall into negligence is to commit a professional sin.
Metaphorical use.
La administración cometió una arbitrariedad flagrante.
The administration committed a flagrant act of arbitrariness.
Advanced noun 'arbitrariedad'.
Resulta imperativo no cometer ligerezas en este asunto.
It is imperative not to commit lighthearted mistakes in this matter.
Formal register.
Se le acusa de cometer malversación de caudales públicos.
He is accused of committing embezzlement of public funds.
Legal terminology.
Pese a su experiencia, cometió una pifia monumental.
Despite his experience, he made a monumental blunder.
Colloquial 'pifia' in formal context.
No podemos permitir que se sigan cometiendo estos atropellos.
We cannot allow these outrages to continue being committed.
Passive 'se' + progressive.
El autor cometió el anacronismo de incluir teléfonos en el siglo XIX.
The author committed the anachronism of including phones in the 19th century.
Specific literary error.
Cualquier error que se cometa será analizado minuciosamente.
Any error that is committed will be analyzed meticulously.
Relative clause with subjunctive.
La hibris del héroe lo llevó a cometer un acto sacrílego.
The hero's hubris led him to commit a sacrilegious act.
Literary register.
Sería un error de bulto cometer tal desatino diplomático.
It would be a major error to commit such a diplomatic blunder.
Idiomatic 'error de bulto'.
La sentencia dictaminó que se cometió prevaricación.
The sentence ruled that malfeasance was committed.
Technical legal term.
El sistema está diseñado para que no se cometan sesgos cognitivos.
The system is designed so that cognitive biases are not committed.
Psychological context.
Cometer un perjurio ante el tribunal conlleva penas de cárcel.
Committing perjury before the court carries prison sentences.
Legal 'perjurio'.
No es de extrañar que, ante tal presión, cometiera un desliz verbal.
It is not surprising that, under such pressure, he made a verbal slip.
Subjunctive mood.
La obra peca de cometer excesos barrocos en su ornamentación.
The work suffers from committing Baroque excesses in its ornamentation.
Art criticism.
De haber cometido tal infracción, ya habría sido sancionado.
Had he committed such an infraction, he would have already been sanctioned.
Counterfactual 'de + haber'.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
Often Confused With
To compromise or to commit to something/someone.
To make/do (general). 'Cometer' is specific for errors/crimes.
To promise.
Idioms & Expressions
Easily Confused
Sentence Patterns
Word Family
Related
How to Use It
Cometer is never reflexive.
The noun 'cometido' means 'task' or 'duty', which is a positive/neutral meaning, unlike the verb.
- Using 'cometer' for positive commitments.
- Saying 'hacer un error' instead of 'cometer un error'.
- Forgetting the direct object.
- Confusing 'cometer' with 'comprometer'.
- Misspelling the preterite 'cometí' (forgetting the accent).
Tips
Direct Object
Always follow 'cometer' with a noun. It cannot stand alone.
The 'Error' Pair
Memorize 'cometer un error' as a single block of meaning.
Formal Writing
Use 'cometer' in reports to sound objective and professional.
False Friend
Don't confuse it with 'commit' in 'commit to memory' (memorizar).
Stress
Ensure you stress the 'e' in 'cometo' but the 'er' in 'cometer'.
Legal Context
If you hear it on the news, it almost always refers to a crime.
Apologizing
Saying 'Cometí un error' is a very polite and clear way to admit a mistake.
Sports
In football, 'cometer una falta' is the standard way to describe a foul.
Visual Link
Imagine a criminal 'committing' a crime; that's the core of 'cometer'.
Subjunctive
Use 'cometa' after 'espero que no...' to give advice.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'CO-MIT' (Commit). They sound similar and share the same root, but in Spanish, it's only for 'CO-mitting' errors or crimes.
Word Origin
Latin 'committere'
Cultural Context
Essential for understanding news about 'corrupción'.
Used to describe social injustices.
Used in the context of confession.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Conversation Starters
"¿Cuál es el error más común que cometen los estudiantes de español?"
"¿Alguna vez cometiste un error gracioso en el trabajo?"
"¿Qué delitos se cometen más frecuentemente en tu ciudad?"
"¿Crees que es fácil cometer una injusticia sin querer?"
"¿Cómo reaccionas cuando alguien comete una falta de respeto?"
Journal Prompts
Escribe sobre un error que cometiste y qué aprendiste de él.
Describe una situación donde se cometió una injusticia.
¿Qué errores prefieres no cometer nunca en tu carrera profesional?
Reflexiona sobre la frase: 'Cometer errores es parte del aprendizaje'.
Escribe un cuento corto sobre alguien que comete un crimen por una buena razón.
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsAunque se entiende, lo correcto y más natural en español es decir 'cometer un error'. 'Hacer un error' suena a traducción literal del inglés.
No, 'cometer' tiene una carga negativa. Para acciones positivas o neutrales, usa 'realizar', 'hacer' o 'llevar a cabo'.
'Perpetrar' es mucho más formal y se usa casi exclusivamente para crímenes graves o actos violentos. 'Cometer' es más común y versátil.
Se dice 'comprometerse con una relación'. Nunca uses 'cometer' en este contexto.
Sí, es un verbo totalmente regular que sigue el modelo de la segunda conjugación (-er).
Significa hacer una infracción a las reglas del juego, como un 'foul' en baloncesto o fútbol.
Sí, es el término técnico estándar para referirse a la ejecución de un delito.
No, 'cometer' no introduce oraciones subordinadas con 'que'. Siempre va seguido de un sustantivo.
El sustantivo es 'comisión', como en 'la comisión de un delito'.
Sí, el uso de 'cometer' es uniforme en todo el mundo hispanohablante.
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Summary
The verb 'cometer' is your essential tool for taking responsibility for mistakes or describing illegal acts, but remember its strictly negative scope compared to the English 'commit'.
- Cometer is used for negative actions like errors and crimes.
- It is a regular -er verb in Spanish.
- Never use it for positive commitments (use comprometerse instead).
- Commonly paired with 'error', 'delito', and 'falta'.
Direct Object
Always follow 'cometer' with a noun. It cannot stand alone.
The 'Error' Pair
Memorize 'cometer un error' as a single block of meaning.
Formal Writing
Use 'cometer' in reports to sound objective and professional.
False Friend
Don't confuse it with 'commit' in 'commit to memory' (memorizar).
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a fin de
B1In order to; with the aim of.
a mi parecer
B1In my opinion; to my mind.
a partir de
B1Starting from; based on; as of.
abordar
B2To address or tackle a topic, problem, or situation. In a literal sense, it can also mean to board a ship or approach someone to speak.
abstracción
B1The quality of dealing with ideas rather than events.
abstractamente
B1In an abstract manner; in theory rather than in practice.
abstracto
B1Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.
abstracto/a
B2Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.
abstraer
B1To extract or remove (something); to form a general idea or quality.
académicamente
B2In an academic manner; in terms of academic performance or study.
