How to Pronounce Ergative

To pronounce "ergative", say ERG-at-iv-e — 4 syllables, IPA /ˈɜːɡətɪv/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

ergative

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Accent

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4

Syllables

8

Letters

/ˈɜːɡətɪv/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “ergative”

"ergative" has 4 syllables: erg-at-iv-e.

What does ergative mean?

noun

  1. The ergative case.
  2. An ergative verb or other expression.

adjective

  1. (grammar) Used of various situations where the subjects of transitive constructions have different grammatical cases or thematic relations to those of intransitive constructions.

    “The case systems of ergative languages are counterintuitive to speakers of Indo-European languages.”

Hear “ergative” in real sentences

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

Related words

absolutivepostpositionergative-absolutiveinvertiveaccusativeallativeexessiveillative

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "ergative"?▾

"Ergative" has 4 syllables: erg · at · iv · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "ergative"?▾

The IPA transcription of "ergative" is /ˈɜːɡətɪv/.

What does "ergative" mean?▾

Ergative: The ergative case.

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