How to Pronounce Affirmative

To pronounce "affirmative", say AFF-irm-at-iv-e — 5 syllables, IPA /əˈfɜːmətɪv/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

affirmative

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying affirmative, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

5

Syllables

11

Letters

/əˈfɜːmətɪv/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “affirmative”

"affirmative" has 5 syllables: aff-irm-at-iv-e.

What does affirmative mean?

noun

  1. Yes; an answer that shows agreement or acceptance.

    “10-4 good buddy. That's an affirmative - the tractor trailer is in the ditch at the side of the highway.”

  2. (grammar) An answer that shows agreement or acceptance.

adjective

  1. Pertaining to truth; asserting that something is; affirming

    “an affirmative answer”

  2. Pertaining to any assertion or active confirmation that favors a particular result

interjection

  1. An elaborate synonym for the word yes.
  2. (especially radio communications) Yes; true; correct.

Antonyms

negative

Hear “affirmative” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Related words

affirmatoryassentientagreeingpositiveprofavorableconcessiveoptimistic

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "affirmative"?▾

"Affirmative" has 5 syllables: aff · irm · at · iv · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "affirmative"?▾

The IPA transcription of "affirmative" is /əˈfɜːmətɪv/.

What does "affirmative" mean?▾

Affirmative: Yes; an answer that shows agreement or acceptance.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “affirmative” in the full dictionary →