How to pronounce forgive
Say it like fer-GHIV. Forgive has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (GHIV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce forgive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- fer
- GHIV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Forgive pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ferKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- GHIVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of forgive
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: fuh-GHIV.
What does forgive mean?
- stop blaming or grant forgiveness“I forgave him his infidelity”“She cannot forgive him for forgetting her birthday”
- absolve from payment“I forgive you your debt”
Where does forgive come from?
Alteration (due to give) of Middle English foryiven, forȝiven, from Old English forġiefan (“to forgive, to give”), from Proto-West Germanic *frageban, from Proto-Germanic *fragebaną (“to give away; give up; release; forgive”), equivalent to
Words that rhyme with forgive
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of forgive.
Questions about saying forgive
How do you pronounce forgive?
Say fer-GHIV. The American pronunciation is /fɚˈɡɪv/. In British English it is /fəˈɡɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in forgive?
Forgive has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (GHIV). Broken into parts: fer · GHIV.
Is forgive pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /fəˈɡɪv/ (fuh-GHIV).