breath vs breathe what is the difference?

33 Answers

There can be a lot of confusion as to what the difference is between these two words. Although, if we take a closer look into what makes up each word, how they are said and what they mean, we can take a more precise look at why they are so different.


Grammar

"Breath" is a noun. This means that this word talks about a thing. Its simple definition is the air taken into or out of the lungs while breathing. Some examples of this word being used is:

I took a long breath.

My breath was like steam in the early-morning cold.


"Breathe", however, is not a noun. It is a verb. This means that this is a doing word, which we can use to talk about an action. To "breathe" is to take air into the lungs and then let it out of the lungs. Some examples of this word being used is:

Fish can breathe underwater.

You cannot breathe in outer space. You need an oxygen tank.


Pronunciation

There is also a slight difference in how we say these words.

Breaking it up into its phonemic pronunciation, "breath" is pronounced as brɛθ. This means that the last sound made is the "th" sound.

However, "breathe" is pronounced briːð. This means that the last sound said is a long "e" sound.


So, what is the difference between "breath" and "breathe"?


Therefore, we can see that the main differences between "breath" and "breathe" lie in the grammar and pronunciation of the two words. "Breath" is a noun that is pronounced with a final "th" sound while "breathe" is a verb that ends with a long "e" sound.

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Very easy to answer "breath" is a noun and "breathe" is a verb. In terms of pronunciation the vowel sound is different.






I cannot breathe under water because I am not a fish

He took a deep breath before diving into the water

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Breath is the noun and breathe is the verb in this pairing. To keep them apart, especially in writing, remember that breathe has both the /ee/ sound and an e at the end.

Examples:

I take a breath before I dip underwater (noun).

"Help! I can't breathe!" (verb)

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BREATH vs BREATHE what is the difference?


Breath = NOUN

Use BREATH to refer to an action or a thing.

EXAMPLE: When I saw how stunning she looked, I had to catch my breath.

 

 

Breathe = VERB

This action is actually breathing in and out air through your mouth or nose.

EXAMPLE: Breathe in and out deeply when trying to relax. 

 

How to remember the difference in writing is simple, all you have to do is add “e” at the end if you want to refer to the verb.

 

How to use both in a sentence:

When the police stopped him at the intersection his breath smelled of strong liquor and he had to breathe into a breathalyser to test his alcohol levels.


Grammar Bomb: BREATH vs BREATHE – Editing Addict, LLC
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Breath and breathe are, first of all, spelled and pronounced differently. Secondly, one is a noun and the other is a verb.

Breath VS breathe

According to Merriam-Webster:

  Breath is defined as an act of breathing.

  Breathe is defined as to draw air into and expel it from the lungs.


Essentially, both actually have similar meanings - just that one is pronounced with out an 'e' at the end and the other ends with an 'e' sound.

As mentioned in the beginning, breath is a noun and breathe is a verb. In actuality, breathe is the action form of breath.


Sentence example

Breath: He holds his breath under the water, waiting for them to pass.


Breathe: As the time approaches, she could hardly breathe due to stress.


Both words in one sentence: He breathe a sign of relief under his breath.

Non-matching noun and verb

Breath and breathe is one of the few classic examples where a letter is added to the word to change the word from a noun to a verb.

It is very common for people to confuse the two as they look, and sometimes, pronounced similarly.


So, don't feel ashamed or discouraged when you mistake these two - native speakers also can't tell them apart sometimes 😂

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diffrent characteristic

breath is a noun, and the breathe is a verb.
example:

After we had climbed to the top of the hill,we stopped to gather breath.
我们爬到山顶后便停下来歇口气。
It's healthy to breathe deeply in the morning
早上作深呼吸对身体有益。

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Breath vs Breathe


Both words are related to taking air in and out of a body. However, which word you choose will depend on how you are using it in your sentence.

Breath is a noun.

example)

  • Take a deep breath before diving!


Breathe is a verb.

example)

  • I tend to breathe in deeper whenever I go to a national park because the air there seems so nice and fresh.

  • How often would a sea turtle come out on the sea surface to breathe?


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Hi. Breathe vs breath

Noun and verbs





Breath is a noun. It is what comes out of your mouth every time you breathe.


Breathe is a verb. It is an action


Sentence. Your breath smells horrible every time you breathe.

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Breath and breathe are at perhaps the trickiest intersection of spelling and similarity, since they are so frequently confused. Because of their different vowel sounds, we never use one of these words for the other when speaking, and that’s precisely the problem here: encountering the wrong one on the page or on a screen is jarring because it forces the reader to make a quick mental adjustment to the sentence, since what we read is not so much a misspelling as the correct spelling of a different part of speech. We’d probably adjust faster to an actual misspelling.


Summary

It’s because of this, and because we breathe so much more often than we bathe (or at the very least use the word more often), that this particular confusion is both so frequent and so annoying. Keep in mind that the noun breath, pronounced /BRETH/, has no e at the end.


A breath of fresh air

Don’t hold your breath

Out of breath

Take a deep breath


Breathe deeply

I could hardly breathe

Breathe in through your nose

Breathe new life into the show


NB

Just remember that breathe rhymes with /ee/ and has an e at the end.

Then: deep breath, and relax.

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Breath (/breTH/)

  • is a noun that means the air we take into our lungs

    e.g. It's difficult for me to hold my breath while swimming.


Breathe (/brēT͟H/_

  • is a verb that means to take air into our lungs and then let

    e.g. We cannot breathe underwater.

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Hi everyone!


A breath (n) is a noun that is used in sentences, whereas to Breathe is the act of taking a breath! One is a noun, the other is a verb! Don't forget breathing, the gerund !




Ex.



I took a breath of fresh air .


I breathe heavily when I'm nervous.


Breathing (gerund) is a necessity.

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Breath VS Breathe


Noun VS Verb


Breath is a noun while breathe is the verb.

Breath is pronounced with a short "e" sound while Breathe is pronounced with the long "E" sound


Breath is pronounced with a short "e" sound while Breathe is pronounced with the long "E" sound

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Explanation of the word "breath"

The word "breath" is a noun and is the result of the action to "breathe". The word "breath" is the air into or out of the nose and mouth when you are breathing.

Explanation of the word "breathe"

The word "breathe" is the action of breathing. Thus it can be classified as a verb. The action of inhaling or exhaling air.


Example of the word "breath"

"If you are stressed out, you should take a deep breath."

  • 'breath' used as a noun - indicated by the article 'a'

  • air into nose or mouth


Example of the word "breathe"

"If you are stressed out, you should breathe"

  • 'breathe' used as a verb - the action of taking air into the nose/mouth

  • 'should' - modal verb in front of main verb


Conclusion : Main difference between 'breath' & 'breathe'

  1. breath = noun & breathe = verb

  2. breath = result of action & breathe = action

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Breath vs. Breathe

Breath, with no 'e' at the end, is a noun that means the air in a person's lungs. For example: Take a breath.


Breathe, with an 'e' at the end, is a verb that means the action of taking air into the lungs and pushing it back out. For example: She couldn't breathe after running up the stairs.


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These two words are related, which is where much of the confusion arises. Apart from that extra "e", the main differences between the words breath and breathe is how they are pronounced and used in a sentence.


Breathe

  • The word breathe is a verb. It means to take a breath by inhaling and exhaling. (It can also mean to pause/rest or to say.) Breathe is pronounced with a long e sound. It rhymes with "seethe."


Breath

  • The word breath is a noun. It is the product of breathing; the air that is inhaled and exhaled (although it can also be a slight breeze or indication). Breath is pronounced with a short e sound. It rhymes with the word "death."






Example using Breathe:

  • Fish can breathe underwater since they have gills.

  • It can be difficult to breathe through your nose when you have a cold.

  • She breathed a sigh of relief after the exam was over.


Example using Breath:

  • I took a deep breath and tried to relax before giving my speech.

  • Thanks to rumors of an affair, a breath of scandal followed the actor.

  • Even with the windows wide open, not a single breath of air came into the house.

  • It was so cold outside, I could see my breath.

Hope it helps

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Origin of breath :

Old English brǣth ‘smell, scent’, of Germanic origin; related to brood.

Origin of Breathe :

Middle English (in the sense ‘exhale, steam’): from breath.

Word meaning and explanation : BREATHE & Breath

When you breathe you take air into your lungs and let it out in a regular rhythm. Living things need to breathe to live.

This word has several meanings related to living and taking in air. When someone says "As long as I breathe!" they mean "As long as I live!" In music, some silence can let the piece breathe. If you need a moment or room to breathe, you need a break. Wine breathes when it’s uncorked, enhancing its flavor. Breathing life into something gives it new energy. If this explanation has made you nervous, breathe deeply — that helps many people to relax.

Breath is thevariable noun form of word breathe , Your breath is the air that you let out through your mouth when you breathe. If someone has bad breath, their breath smells unpleasant.

I could smell the whisky on his breath.

Smoking causes bad breath.

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Breath is a noun, the air that goes into and out of lungs.

Breathe is a verb, denoting the process of inhaling and exhaling.



Take a deep breath.

Garlic gives you bad breath.

It is difficult to breathe.

Don't forget to breathe during the workout.

More


Nouns vs verbs


Breath is a noun. By simply adding an 'e' at the end it becomes a verb :breathe. To 'breathe' means to inhale and exhale air.

For example:

She took her last breath. Here we use the word 'breath' as a noun. The sentence means that the person passed away.

But when we say : ' I Breathe the fresh air' we describe an action. That is the act of inhaling and exhaling.

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What is the difference between "breath" and "breathe"?


answer


Breath is the noun and breathe is the verb in this pairing. To keep them apart, especially in writing, remember that breathe has both the /ee/ sound and an e at the end.


So, breath is the air that we inhale or exhale.

To breathe is the action of inhaling or exhaling.


Examples:

Breath:

  1. You seem stressed, take a deep breath!

  2. You can see people's breath on a cold day.

  3. He ran so fast that he was out of breath.


Breathe:

  1. The doctor told me to breathe in and breathe out slowly.

  2. I can't breathe in this room.

  3. I like to go for a walk to breathe in the fresh air.

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Explanation

Breath is the noun

Eg: Noun is a person, place or thing

Breath is referring to the air (thing=noun) that you are inhaling in and out of your mouth and nose.


Breathe is a verb: To breathe

The action of breathing


Example:

Take a deep breath (breath= noun, the thing)


I could hardly breathe (breathe= verb, the action word)

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Breath vs Breathe

The verb breath is the same as the noun breath. To keep them apart, keep them in check by remembering that breathe has both the e and the /ee/ sound.

!! MAIN DIFFERENCE !!

Breath - noun

Breathe - verb



NOUN

A breath of fresh air

Don’t hold your breath

Out of breath

Take a deep breath


VERB

And the verb breathe, pronounced /BREETHE/, is spelled with an e at the end:

Breathe deeply

I couldn't breathe after the long hike.

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What is the difference between breath and breathe?


breathe (v) 呼吸

breath (n) 一啖空氣,口氣



It's relaxing to breathe in the countryside.

在郊外呼吸很舒暢。

You have bad breath!

你有口氣!


一個是動詞,一個是名詞,用法不同。

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BREATH vs. BREATHE 🌬


The word breath means the air brought in and exhaled when breathing. It is the actual air we draw in when we breathe.


The word breathe is a verb, meaning to draw air into your lungs and expel it again. To breathe is to inhale air and to exhale it once more.


How can I remember breath or breathe


NOUN: You will use "breath" if you are taking in and letting out an air.



VERB: Remember that the word verb has an E and the word noun doesn't. Breathe is the process of in haling and exhaling.

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The main difference between breath and breathe is how often people brush their teeth.


Breath (noun) vs Breathe (verb)

The easiest way to differentiate the noun breath from the verb breathe is how they affect people.


Your breath can kill others if you do not brush your teeth regularly.


On the other hand, when you breathe other people's breath who are not brushing their teeth regularly, you will die too. Yes, you learned that here first,

Example

Brush your teeth on a regular basis to keep bad breath at bay. People can breathe cleaner air this way.

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Breath vs breathe


Breath = Noun

The air that goes into and out of the lungs.


Breathe = Verb

The process of inhaling and exhaling air.



Example 1: She was out of breath after running.

Example 2 : Breathe in slowly through your nose and breathe out through your mouth.




breathe has both the /ee/ sound and an e at the end.


Many common phrases and idioms has the words breathe and breath in. for example:

* I wouldn’t hold your breath.

  • You’re a breath of fresh air.

  • I don’t even have time to breathe.

  • Do not breathe a word to your Dad.

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"breath" and "breathe" are related words, but what is the difference between them?


Parts of speech:

Breath is a noun

Breathe is a verb


Examples:

If you take a deep breath before an exam, it can help you remain calm.
If you breathe deeply before an exam, it can help you remain calm.

He uses a medical device to help him breathe in his sleep.
She always has good breath because she loves minty chewing gum. (good breath = breath that smells good)

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Breath Vs. Breathe


what exactly is the difference?

they are different parts of speech

breathe is a verb

while

breath is a noun





examples:


Verb: when meditating, don't forget to breathe deeply

Noun: when meditating, don't forget to take a deep breath

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The difference is the following: to breathe is a verb, a breath is a noun.

For example, "It was hard to breathe because of the humidity" (verb) and "Let`s get a breath of fresh air outside" (noun). :)

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One is a verb and one is a noun.


To breathe vs. to take a breath.

Breathe is a verb.

The action of taking air into your lungs.


Breath is a noun.

The air that is taken into your lungs when you breathe.



The verbs 'take/hold' are often used with the noun 'a breath' for example;

Take a deep breath before the exam, to calm down.


I can hold my breath for 30 seconds.


Free divers train themselves to hold their breath for a long time.


____________________________


I breathe much faster after exercise.


There is so much pollution in the city, it is hard to breathe.


Slow down your breathing to relax your mind.


Pronunciation

Also, be careful of the pronunciation. The verb 'breathe' has a long vowel sound in the middle /ea/ as in tea.

Whereas, the noun has a short vowel sound in the middle /e/ as in elephant.

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The difference between 'breath" and "breathe"

Breath is the noun.

Breathe is the verb.

To keep them apart, remember that breathe has the /ee/ sound and breath has the /e/ sound.


How to use "breathe" and "breath" in a sentence.

  • BREATH

His breath smelled of liquor.

Taking a deep breath, Carmen started down the stairs.
She caught her breath and sat up sharply.

  • BREATHE

Her chest was too tight for her to breathe deeply. ...

Rissa forced herself to breathe steadily.

The living room started to spin and she sat, forcing herself to breathe deeply.

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Breath vs Breathe is often mistaken one for the other. Let's take a closer look at the meanings of each word and how you can use them effectively.


Breath = the air taken in and let out (released) during respiration.

Breathe = to take air into the lungs and let it out again.


Breath vs Breathe

Breath is the noun and breathe is the verb in this pairing. To keep them apart, especially in writing, remember that breathe has both the /ee/ sound and an e at the end.





Examples and Practice:

I took a deep breath and randomly chose a Sheffield number.


You have to learn how to relax and breathe properly.

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The difference between breath and breathe

BREATH

This is the air taken in or the air that is exhaled from your lungs. A inhalation and exhalation or air. This is a noun.


BREATHE

This is regular process or air being taken into the lungs and then to expel it. This is a verb.




Examples of breathing and breath.

-Humans breathe in air.

- We need to breathe in order to survive.


-This girls breath smells bad.

-You need to take in a breath.


Conclusion.

Both breath and breathe are very much similar when it comes to the spelling and it can be easily confused between but as we can see above it is two different concepts. Both words can be used in different ways and may form part of idioms or phrases.

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Breathe is a verb, Breath is a noun.


Breathe = take air into the lungs and then expel it. It's a verb (a word used to describe an action). Breath = the air taken into or expelled from the lungs. It's a noun.



I can't breathe!

Dolphins breathe air.

His breath stinks!

Take a breath!


breathe = verb, breath = noun

An easy tip for remembering the difference between breathe and breath is to focus on the extra ‘e’ in breathe. If you remember that to breathe is to exhale, i.e. expel air from your lungs, then you can remember that breathe is the verb.

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