Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

that

[ˈðat]

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 7.01 in modern English

Syllables: that
IPA: [ˈðat]

7

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

3

Unique Chars

Meaning

conj

Introducing a clause that is the object of a verb, especially a reporting verb or verb expressing belief, knowledge, perception, etc.

conj

Introducing a clause that is the subject of a verb, especially the ‘be’ verb or a verb expressing judgement, opinion, etc.

conj

Introducing a clause that is the subject of a verb, especially the ‘be’ verb or a verb expressing judgement, opinion, etc.

Literary

conj

Introducing the complement of a mandative verb.

conj

Introducing a clause that complements an adjective or passive participle.

conj

Introducing a clause that complements an adjective or passive participle.

conj

Introducing a subordinate clause modifying an adverb.

conj

Introducing a clause that describes the information content of a preceding reporting noun.

Example Sentences

"He told me that the book is a good read."
"I believe that it is true."
"I can see that the ladder won't reach."
"Pidgin is a combination of expressions and phrases that are recognizable to those who speak it. To non-Pidgin speakers, it may sound like slang. For example, “dat” means that and “fadda” means father or dad."
"It is almost certain that she will come."
"It amazes me that people still believe this nonsense."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tód Proto-Germanic *þod Proto-Germanic *þat Proto-West Germanic *þat Old English þæt Middle English that English that From Middle English that, from Old English þæt (“the, that”, neuter definite article and relative pronoun), from Proto-West Germanic *þat, from Proto-Germanic *þat. Cognate to Scots that, Saterland Frisian dät, West Frisian dat, Dutch dat, Low German dat and datt, German dass and das, Danish det, Swedish det, Icelandic það, Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐍄𐌰 (þata). Further from Proto-Indo-European *tód; compare Ancient Greek τό (tó), Sanskrit तद् (tád), Waigali ta, Lithuanian tai̇̃, Polish to.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: that, þæt, *þat, *tód

Usage

Inflected Forms

'at (alternative) 't (alternative, contraction) dat (alternative) thet (alternative) yt (alternative, abbreviation) yᵗ (alternative, abbreviation) yͭ (alternative, abbreviation) yt. (alternative, abbreviation) those (plural) thats (plural)

Derived Forms

that'd liddat thataway that'n thatness that's Thatter thaz

Phrases

that clause but that that guy that way that way inclined that will do this, that, and the other you can't say fairer than that

Frequently Paired Words

which

Synonyms

so

Antonyms

here there this yon yonder

Rhymes With

at fat cat flat sat chat matt hat bat at-bat pat rat

Questions

How do you pronounce that?: The recorded pronunciation is [ˈðat].
What does that mean?: Introducing a clause that is the object of a verb, especially a reporting verb or verb expressing belief, knowledge, perception, etc.
Where does that come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce that

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “that”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling ([ˈðat]) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “that”.
Repeat and practice — Say “that” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.