Fiancé vs Fiancée
What’s the difference between them?
Fiancé
Meaning:
A fiancé is a man to whom someone is engaged to be married.
Examples:
1. Elly and her fiancé are planning to get married in the fall.
2. Ann and her fiancé had to postpone our wedding due to COVID-19 restrictions.
3. Rebecca's fiancé's parents are flying in from out of town for the wedding.
Fiancée
Meaning:
Fiancée is a woman who is engaged to be married.
Examples:
1. The couple announced their engagement last month and their wedding is scheduled for June.
2. He bought his fiancée a beautiful diamond ring for their engagement.
3. Jake couldn't wait to show his fiancée the surprise party.
Learn similar and opposite words to spot the difference
Synonyms
Antonyms
Fiancé
bride-to-be
Fiancée
Fiancée
wife-to-be
Fiancé
Tricks for mastery
Useful tips to understand the difference between confusing words "Fiancé", "Fiancée".
1. Remember that one 'e' in the ending stands for male person.
2. Remember that two 'e' in the ending stands for female person.
Practice English with the Promova app and avoid misusing confusing words
Frequently asked questions
When to use the first word?
The word 'fiancé' should be used to refer to a man who is engaged to be married. It is derived from the French word for 'betrothed' and is commonly used in English today.
When to use the second word?
The word 'fiancée' is the feminine form of 'fiancé' and is used to refer to a woman who is engaged to be married. Its origin is also from the French word for 'betrothed'.
Do the words have the same pronunciation?
Yes, the words 'fiancé' and 'fiancée' have the same pronunciation. They are both pronounced as 'fee-ahn-say'.
What are common mistakes associated with words?
One of the most common mistakes associated with the words 'fiancé' and 'fiancée' is using the wrong one to refer to the gender of the person who is engaged. Both words are gender specific; 'fiancé' is used for a man and 'fiancée' is used for a woman. Additionally, some people mistakenly use an acute accent on both words, which is incorrect; only 'fiancée' has an acute accent.
Fill in the gaps to check yourself
1. My brother is getting married soon - hes engaged to his long-time _________.
2. My best friends _________ surprised her with a diamond necklace for their anniversary.
3. His _________ is from Canada, so shes coming to stay with us for a while.
4. Sarah proudly showed off the ring that her ___ had given her.
5. I havent met the _________ yet - Im really looking forward to it.
6. Mark introduced his ___ to his parents at the family gathering.
1. Fiancée
Explanation: The correct word to fill the gap in this sentence is fiancée, as it refers to the female partner who is engaged to the male partner. The use of fiancée instead of fiancé to describe the partner of the engaged male is appropriate, as it is a feminine noun.
2. Fiancé
Explanation: The correct word to fill the gap in this sentence is fiancé, as it refers to the male partner who is engaged to the female partner. The use of fiancé instead of fiancée to describe the partner of the engaged female is appropriate, as it is a masculine noun.
3. Fiancée
Explanation: The correct word to fill the gap in this sentence is fiancée, as it refers to the female partner who is engaged to the male partner. The use of fiancée instead of fiancé to describe the partner of the engaged male is appropriate, as it is a feminine noun.
4. Fiancé
Explanation: The sentence refers to Sarah, and the individual who gave her the ring would be her male partner, which in French (and adopted in English) is fiancé for a man.
5. Fiancé
Explanation: The correct word to fill the gap in this sentence is fiancé, as it refers to the male partner who is engaged to the female partner. The use of fiancé instead of fiancée to describe the partner of the engaged female is appropriate, as it is a masculine noun.
6. fiancée
Explanation: Mark is the subject of the sentence, and he is introducing his partner. Since Mark is male, his partner would be female. In French (and adopted in English), fiancée with an extra e denotes a female engaged to be married.
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Download the PDF with a list of commonly confused words made as flashcards for comfortable learning.
List of Commonly Confused Words
Finding your way around the English language can be hard, especially since there are so many confusing words and rules. So, a list of the most confusing words in English is an extremely useful tool for improving language accuracy and sharing the ideas clearly.