Short vowel or long vowel?
breath vs breathe
Meaning, pronunciation, and examples
Breath is the noun for the air you inhale or exhale. Breathe is the verb for taking air in and out. Their vowel and final TH sounds are both different.
Reference accent
Reference recordings are AI-generated. Nothing is recorded.
American English
Hear the difference
Each word has natural, careful, and slow playback. Try listening without looking, then compare the mouth cues.
Word 1
breath
noun
The air taken into or sent out of the lungs.
US pronunciation
/breθ/
UK IPA
/breθ/
Hear three samples
How to pronounce it
Use a short E and finish by blowing air over your tongue without voicing the TH.
Word 2
breathe
verb
To take air into the lungs and send it out again.
US pronunciation
/briːð/
UK IPA
/briːð/
Hear three samples
How to pronounce it
Hold a long EE and keep your voice vibrating through the final TH sound.
Sound contrast
How to tell them apart
Breath uses the short E in “bed” and a quiet /θ/. Breathe uses the long EE in “see” and a vibrating /ð/. Keep your tongue lightly between your teeth for both endings.
Meaning and usage
What is the difference between breath and breathe?
Use breath after words such as a, my, your, deep, or hold. Use breathe after a subject such as I, you, people, or fish. The final e in breathe changes the vowel and makes the TH voiced.
Listen in context
Six example sentences
Context makes both the meaning and the natural rhythm easier to hear. Every sentence has its own playback.
Examples with
breath
- Take a deep breath before you begin.
- I could see my breath in the cold air.
- She was out of breath after the climb.
Examples with
breathe
- Breathe slowly through your nose.
- Fish breathe through their gills.
- The medicine made it easier to breathe.
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