How to say ‘live’ in English – homographs explained with video and examples
What is a homograph?
English has many pairs of words which are spelled the same but pronounced differently—these are called homographs.
In this post, we're exploring the word 'live', which can be both:
a verb - 'I live in London' - live rhymes with give
an adjective - 'a live concert' - live rhymes with I've
Watch the quick explanation in this video 👇
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) script shows you the different sounds you need to say these words clearly:
live, verb: /lɪv/
Examples: I live in Bristol. Where do you live? She doesn't live here anymore.
live, adjective: /laɪv/
Examples: Sarah saw the band perform live. We were about to go live on YouTube when I realised I didn't have my notes!
You will find these IPA spellings in learners' dictionaries, like the Cambridge Dictionary, where you can also hear the audio in both British and American English accents.
Our interactive British English vowels and consonants chart will guide you through all the individual phonemes in English if want to check or practice them.
How do you say 'live'? Pronunciation quiz
Here are 5 sentences which include the word 'live'. In each case, decide whether it's pronounced /lɪv/ (the verb) or /laɪv/ (the adjective). The answers are at the bottom of the blog!
1. They were live on air when the incident happened.
2. How long did you live in Paris?
3. It's not easy to live without a smartphone!
4. Are we live yet? I can't see the indicator on screen.
5. I live in the city, but I'd like to live in the countryside.
Which words or sounds do you find difficult to pronounce? Get in touch with me via our website and maybe I'll cover your suggestion in a future video or blog!
Answers to quiz
1. /laɪv/
2. /lɪv/
3. /lɪv/
4. /laɪv/
5. /lɪv/
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About the author
Hi there 👋 My name is Jenny Dance, and I have over 20 years' teaching experience. I am fascinated by language and sound, and have a passion for pronunciation...