English pronunciation · Words Starting with B
Believe Pronunciation
Believe is pronounced bi-LEEV, IPA /bɪˈliv/.
bi-LEEV
US /bɪˈliv/ · UK /bɪˈliːv/
Syllables: bi · LEEV (2 syllables, stress on syllable 2)
verb: To accept that something is true, or to have faith in someone.
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Believe in a Sentence
- I believe the shop opens at nine.
- Nobody believed him until the receipt turned up.
- She believes in paying suppliers early.
Common Mispronunciations of Believe
Not BEE-leev
LEEV holds everything and the be in front of it is a quick unstressed bi. Loading the front is the habit most learners bring to every be verb.
Not bi-LEEF
Keep the voice running into the final v. Cutting it off gives belief, the noun, which is a real word and the wrong one.
Tip: The pair splits on that last sound alone: you believe something, and what you hold is a belief.
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