How to Pronounce Live

To pronounce "live", say LIV-e — 2 syllables, IPA /lɪv/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

live

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 live, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

2

Syllables

4

Letters

/lɪv/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “live

"live" has 2 syllables: liv-e. It rhymes with contrive and give, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: liv — easy to mix up when writing.

What does live mean?

verb

  1. To be alive; to have life.

    He's not expected to live for more than a few months.

  2. To have permanent residence somewhere, to inhabit, to reside.

    I live at 2a Acacia Avenue.  He lives in LA, but he's staying here over the summer.

Synonyms

Hear “live” in real sentences

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

Words that rhyme with live

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

Related words

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "live"?

"Live" has 2 syllables: liv · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "live"?

The IPA transcription of "live" is /lɪv/.

What does "live" mean?

Live: To be alive; to have life.

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

Open “live” in the full dictionary →