3 syllables: con, jug, ate. Stress on ate.
kahn-juh-GAYT
/ˌkɑndʒəˈɡeɪt/
conjugate is pronounced kahn-juh-GAYT (/ˌkɑndʒəˈɡeɪt/). It has three syllables (con-jug-ate), with the stress on "ate". Conjugate is a verb (and noun in mathematics) meaning to pair or coordinate elements according to a specific rule, or to combine, join, or form a fixed relationship—especially in grammar, algebra, or chemistry. In linguistics and mathematics, it also refers to altering a form to express different tenses, voices, moods, or groupings. The term implies systematic connection or pairing based on a defined set of rules.
Conjugate is a verb (and noun in mathematics) meaning to pair or coordinate elements according to a specific rule, or to combine, join, or form a fixed relationship—especially in grammar, algebra, or chemistry. In linguistics and mathematics, it also refers to altering a form to express different tenses, voices, moods, or groupings. The term implies systematic connection or pairing based on a defined set of rules.
"- In chemistry, electrons conjugate to form a stable bond."
"- The verb conjugate changes its ending to reflect tense and subject."
"- Mathematicians study how functions can be conjugate under a transformation."
Pronounce as /kənˈdʒuːɡeɪt/. The primary stress sits on the second syllable: con-JU-gate. Start with a light, schwa-like /kən/, then the /dʒ/ affricate as in 'judge', followed by /uː/ like 'food', and end with /ɡeɪt/ where /eɪ/ is the long A sound. Maintain a crisp /dʒ/ and ensure the final /t/ is released softly rather than swallowed. An audio reference is helpful: listen to native speakers pronouncing con- J U - gate in careful, modal, and rapid contexts.
Common errors include flattening the /dʒ/ into a simple /d/ or /j/ sound, which makes it sound like 'nuh-ju-gate' rather than /dʒuː/. Another frequent slip is shortening /uː/ to a short /u/ or schwa, which blurs the /ˈdʒuː/ sequence. Also, speakers sometimes skip the final release, ending with /k/ or not fully articulating the /eɪt/ portion. To correct: practice the /dʒ/ with the 'judge' touch, hold the /uː/ long, and finish with a clear /eɪt/ release.
In US English you’ll hear /kənˈdʒuːɡeɪt/, with a rhotic, clear /r/ absent here. UK English keeps the same primary stress but may have slightly tighter /ˈdʒ/ aspiration and a crisper /t/ release, with non-rhotic tendencies on the preceding syllable, though not always. Australian English aligns with /kənˈdʒuːɡeɪt/ but vowels tend to be more centralized and the /uː/ can be slightly shorter. Across all: the key is the /dʒ/ onset and the long /uː/ preceding the /ɡeɪt/ tail.
The difficulty centers on the /dʒ/ affricate cluster immediately before the long /uː/ vowel, which must blend without a vowel hiatus. The sequence /dʒuː/ is tight, and many learners oversplit it into /d/ and /juː/ or mispronounce the /ɡ/ release after the /uː/. Additionally, ending with /eɪt/ requires precise tongue tip movement and airflow to avoid a clipped or nasal ending. Focus on the fluent linkage between /dʒ/ and /uː/ and on the full /eɪt/ release.
A unique aspect is maintaining the strong /dʒ/ onset with an extended /uː/ before the /ɡeɪt/ tail. The word’s rhythm places real emphasis on the middle syllable, which can lead to truncation if you’re not careful. Also, the final /t/ should be an aspirated release in careful speech; in rapid or casual speech, it might be lightly released but should never become a silent or heavily softened end. Mastering that crisp middle /dʒuː/ is the distinctive feature.
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- US: /kənˈdʒuːɡeɪt/ with rhotic absence in the first syllable; keep /uː/ long and the /eɪ/ at the end crisp. - UK: Similar pattern but vowels slightly tighter; the /t/ release can be more forceful in careful speech; non-rhoticity affects preceding syllable. - AU: Similar to US/UK; expect slightly more centralized vowels and a potentially shorter /uː/. Focus on maintaining the /dʒ/ release and long /uː/ across accents. Reference IPA to track subtle vowel length and consonant aspiration.
Conjugate comes from Latin conjugatus, past participle of conjugare, meaning to unite, join together, or couple. The Latin con- means together, and jungere means to join. The term in grammar and mathematics transferred its sense of forming a fixed, systematic pairing or relationship. In English, conjugate appeared in the early modern period to describe grammar forms and algebraic relations that are linked by rules. As a mathematical concept, it broadened to include conjugate pairs in complex numbers, as in conjugate roots, where a pair shares a symmetrical relationship about the real axis. The word’s usage expanded into fields like chemistry (conjugated systems) and linguistics (conjugation of verbs), always emphasizing a structured, rule-governed pairing or transformation. The first known uses surface in the 15th–17th centuries in scholastic and mathematical texts, evolving through Renaissance scholarship as disciplines formalized their rule-based systems of form and relationship.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "conjugate" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "conjugate" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "conjugate"
-ate sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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