⚠️ Same spelling (l-i-v-e), two pronunciations, two meanings!
/lɪv/
verb — to live
/laɪv/
adjective — live broadcast
These words are spelled identically but the vowel changes everything. The verb uses the short /ɪ/ (like sit). The adjective uses the diphthong /aɪ/ (like my). Context and grammar position tell you which one is meant.
verb — 'Where do you live?' · ends with the voiced /v/ sound
mouth shape
lips relaxed, quick short /ɪ/ — like 'sit', 'bit', 'give'
live
/lɪv/
vowel length
adjective — 'a live concert' · also ends with /v/, but the vowel is completely different
mouth shape
mouth opens wide ('ah') then glides up — diphthong /aɪ/ like 'my', 'sky', 'time'
live
/laɪv/
vowel length
Related word — life
life /laɪf/ — noun, meaning existence itself, or the period between birth and death — ‘that’s life’ · ‘my life story’ · ‘wildlife’. It shares the same /aɪ/ diphthong as the adjective live above, but ends in a voiceless /f/ instead of a voiced /v/ — compare li-f (breath out, no buzz) with li-v(buzz in your throat). Say ‘life’ then ‘live’ and feel your throat switch on for the second one.
Key difference
The verb live /lɪv/ uses a short, relaxed /ɪ/ — say it quickly, like give. The adjective live /laɪv/ uses the /aɪ/ diphthong — mouth opens wide then glides up, like my or five.
Example sentences
verb /lɪv/:“I live in London.”
verb /lɪv/:“Where do you live?”
adj /laɪv/:“This is a live show.”
adj /laɪv/:“We watched the concert live.”
Hear it in a sentence
“She chose to live abroad for a few years before returning home.”
“It was a live concert, broadcast to an audience of two million.”
Hear it in the wild
Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.
How teachers explain this
Approved tips from the community, sorted by helpfulness
Word families
live (verb) family ▸
live (adjective) family ▸
Related pairs
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