Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Repent for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Repent" — verb, pronounced /rɪˈpent/, with the stress on "pent".
Narrator: To repent is to feel sincere regret for a wrong one has done, and to resolve to change.
Narrator: In plain English, you repent when you truly regret lying and promise never to do it again.
Narrator: It comes from the Latin repentir, via the Old French, meaning to regret.
Narrator: "To repent of" describes feeling deep sorrow for a past wrong.
Narrator: It differs from regret because repent includes a resolve to change, whereas regret is just feeling sorry.
Narrator: "Repent and believe" is a religious sense meaning turning from sin towards faith.
Narrator: Religion, ethics, literature and psychology all rely on the word repent.
Narrator: So remember: to repent is to regret and change, from the Latin for to regret.
Speaker A: Is repent the same as regret?
Speaker B: Deeper! REPENT comes from the Latin repentir, to regret, so it means sincere regret with a resolve to change.
Speaker A: So it's a religious word?
Speaker B: Often — but not only!
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "He repented of his sins"; "repent and be saved"; "too late to repent" — religion, faith and regret.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Don't confuse repent with regret, because repent includes a commitment to change, while regret is just feeling sorry.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: 'Regret' the milder cousin, 'atone' the making-amends twin, 'reform' the changing alternative. The word keeps its turning charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "repent" in AI prompts — useful for counselling apps and ethics tools.
Speaker A: So a prompt could frame reflection?
Speaker B: Right. For a counselling app, you'd write:
Prompt: Write a short exercise helping users reflect on a mistake and repent, naming two steps to change.
Speaker A: How about an ethics tool?
Speaker B: Ask the model to frame debate:
Prompt: Draft a short discussion prompt on whether criminals can truly repent, naming one factor.
Speaker A: Could it help with a faith bot?
Speaker B: Yes, you can frame teaching:
Prompt: Summarise in two sentences what repent means in a religious context, naming one practice.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: For a writing chatbot, try this:
Prompt: Write a short scene where a character repents of a betrayal, naming one gesture.
Repent — meaning in Arabic & definition More R courses GL Dictionary