Compromiso in English: Is it commitment or compromise?

 Many Spanish learners of English confuse the word “compromise” with “compromiso” because it sounds nearly the same. But… the word they’re actually looking for is “commitment”. Let’s see why. 

A compromise is when two people or parties, in a negotiation, for example, come to an agreement by offering to meet in the middle. Each side gives up something so a solution can be found which is good for both sides. This is a positive compromise and happens in win-win negotiations.

Compromise is both a noun and a verb. Here are some examples with both uses

• In a compromise between the company owners and the unions, a 3% increase in wages was agreed to in exchange for an increase in productivity.
• The government is refusing to compromise on health-care legislation.

We usually use the following verbs with compromise:

A commitment can be defined as a promise or firm decision to do something. It also means to dedicate time, effort or money to something you care about or believe in. It involves obligation.

For example, work commitment is defined as the level of dedication and enthusiasm an employee has toward their job, and the goals, mission, and vision of the company they work for. 

Some examples with commitment:

• Our employees are fully committed to their work.
• My aunt is completely committed to helping her favorite charity.
• He couldn’t go to the party because he had other commitments.

We usually use the following verbs with commitment: