WARRANTY vs. GUARANTEE

Good morning. Today we are going to look at 2 words that are very very similar, but have some important differences, which often cause confusion: warranty and guarantee. In the first place, remember that warranty can only be a noun, but guarantee can be a noun or a verb. Warranty (noun) means: a company's written promise to replace or repair a product you buy from them if it breaks or does not work. A warranty usually has a limited period of time. Guarantee (noun) means: (1) something that makes certain something will happen; (2) an agreement that if something you buy does not work it will be repaired or replaced, or you can have your money back. Guarantee (verb) means: to make sure that something will happen. Notice that meaning (2) of guarantee is the same as the meaning of warranty. However, the meaning of the verb (1) is more generic and doesn't necessarily refer to products and companies. Consider the examples below. Example 1 The other day I bought the cheapest DVD player in the shop. It had the same two-year warranty as the expensive ones. Example 2 The other day I bought the cheapest DVD player in the shop. It had the same two-year guarantee as the expensive ones. Example 3 Saving 300 Euros each month will guarantee that you have plenty of money when you retire. If you have any questions or comments about these words, please don't hesitate to contact me. I guarantee that I will get back to (answer) you. Enjoy the rest of your day!