Why "breath" and "breathe" aren't the same

How long can you hold your breath? Or maybe you're more into deep breathing techniques? Either way, you've already used both of today's words. They look almost identical, but they do different jobs in a sentence, and they're pronounced differently too.

Breath

"Breath" is a noun. It's the air you take into your lungs and let out again. It rhymes with "death," with a short "e" and the same "th" sound as in "think."

• Take a deep breath before you start speaking.
• His breath smells like coffee.
• Paula could see her breath in the cold winter air.

You'll find it in lots of everyday phrases:

• After running up the hill, she stopped to catch her breath.
• I was completely out of breath after climbing the stairs.
• He said he'd call back today, but don't hold your breath.
• Our new manager is a breath of fresh air.

"Don't hold your breath" means "don't expect it to happen any time soon." And if someone is "a breath of fresh air," they're a welcome change.

Breathe

"Breathe" is a verb. It's the action of taking air in and letting it out. That "e" at the end changes the sound: the vowel becomes long, like in "see," and the "th" becomes softer, like in "this." So "breath" and "breathe" don't rhyme at all.

• It's hard to breathe in such a crowded room.
• Fish breathe through their gills.
• Just breathe and try to relax.

It often comes with "in" and "out":

• Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
• I love breathing in the fresh mountain air.

And there are a couple of expressions worth knowing:

• When the results came back fine, we all breathed a sigh of relief.
• I can't work with my boss breathing down my neck all day.

To "breathe down someone's neck" means to watch them too closely, usually while they're working.

If you need a way to remember, think of that final "e" as the thing that turns the noun into an action. English does the same with "bath" and "bathe," and "cloth" and "clothe."

Now that you know the difference, take a deep breath and let go of your doubts.

And if you're all about getting the best tips on the English language, Daily Dose of Denglisch Docs is your next stop.