Explanation at your level:
To identify means to look at something and say what it is. For example, you see a fruit and say, 'This is an apple.' You identify it!
When you identify someone, you tell people who they are. You might identify a friend in a photo. It is about knowing the name or type of a thing.
You use this word when you find out information about something. Scientists identify new plants, and you can identify the main cause of a problem. It means to recognize or discover.
This word is often used in professional contexts. You might need to identify risks in a business plan or identify the source of a sound. It implies a level of careful thought or investigation.
Beyond simple recognition, this word is used for abstract concepts. You might identify a pattern in data or identify with a specific political ideology. It suggests a deep analytical process.
In advanced usage, 'identify' touches on the philosophical concept of identity. It is used in psychology to discuss how people identify themselves within a social group, or in forensics to identify remains with absolute certainty.
Palavra em 30 segundos
- Identify means to name or recognize.
- It is a versatile verb used in many contexts.
- The noun form is identity.
- It comes from Latin for 'making the same'.
When you identify something, you are basically putting a name to it. Imagine you are walking in the woods and see a bird; if you look it up in a guidebook and say, 'That is a blue jay,' you have successfully identified the bird.
It is a very handy word because it works in many situations. You might identify a problem at work, identify a suspect in a crime, or even identify with a character in a book because you share their feelings. It is all about making the unknown known.
The word identify comes from the Medieval Latin word identificare, which is a blend of idem (meaning 'the same') and facere (meaning 'to make'). So, literally, it means 'to make the same' or 'to treat as the same'.
It entered English in the 17th century. Originally, it was used in philosophical contexts to describe how two things could be considered identical. Over time, the meaning shifted from 'making things the same' to 'recognizing what something is' by comparing it to known categories.
You will hear identify in everything from casual conversation to high-stakes science labs. In casual settings, we often use it when we are unsure about something: 'Can you identify this song?'
In professional settings, it is a power word. Doctors identify symptoms, police identify culprits, and analysts identify market trends. It is a neutral, precise word that carries a sense of authority and clarity.
While 'identify' itself isn't a common idiom, it is used in phrases like identify with, meaning to feel a strong connection to someone. Case of mistaken identity is a classic expression used in movies when one person is wrongly thought to be another.
Identify is a regular verb. The past tense is identified and the present participle is identifying. The stress is on the second syllable: i-DEN-ti-fy.
It is often followed by 'as' (e.g., 'He identified himself as the owner'). It rhymes with 'rectify' and 'verify'.
Fun Fact
It shares a root with the word 'identical'.
Pronunciation Guide
Eye-den-ti-fy
Eye-den-tuh-fy
Common Errors
- stressing the wrong syllable
- pronouncing the 't' as 'd'
- swallowing the final 'fy'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Common word in all texts
Easy to use
Very useful
Clear pronunciation
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avançado
Grammar to Know
Passive Voice
The car was identified.
Gerunds
Identifying the issue is hard.
Prepositional Phrases
Identify with him.
Examples by Level
Can you identify this animal?
Can you name this animal?
Modal verb can + base verb.
I identify the red car.
I see and name the red car.
Simple present.
He identifies the bird.
He names the bird.
Third person singular.
We identify the key.
We find the key.
Simple present.
She identifies the fruit.
She names the fruit.
Simple present.
They identify the house.
They point out the house.
Subject-verb agreement.
Identify the color.
Say the color name.
Imperative.
I identify the sound.
I know the sound.
Simple present.
Can you identify the owner of this bag?
The police identified the suspect.
She identified the plant in the garden.
I cannot identify this handwriting.
He identified the mistake in the report.
We must identify the problem first.
Can you identify the person in the photo?
They identified the location on the map.
The scientists identified a new species.
I identify with the main character in the story.
The witness identified the man in the lineup.
We need to identify the target audience.
She identified the cause of the fire.
He was identified as the winner.
Can you identify the source of the noise?
The software helps to identify security threats.
The study aims to identify the factors influencing growth.
He identified strongly with his cultural roots.
The company is trying to identify new market opportunities.
She was identified as a potential leader.
We must identify the root cause of the failure.
The expert identified the painting as an original.
They identified several areas for improvement.
It is difficult to identify the precise moment of change.
The researchers identified a correlation between diet and health.
She identifies with the struggles of the working class.
The system is designed to identify subtle anomalies in data.
He identified the underlying theme of the novel.
The committee identified a need for urgent reform.
They identified the culprit through DNA analysis.
It is crucial to identify the stakeholders involved.
The artist identified a new style of expression.
The philosopher sought to identify the essence of being.
The historian identified the manuscript as a forgery.
Psychologists often study how individuals identify with their peers.
The algorithm identifies patterns invisible to the human eye.
He identified the shift in public opinion as a turning point.
The investigation identified a systemic failure in the protocol.
She identified with the protagonist's existential crisis.
The report identified the potential for significant disruption.
Colocações comuns
Idioms & Expressions
"case of mistaken identity"
when someone is wrongly thought to be someone else
The whole play is a case of mistaken identity.
neutral"identify with someone"
to feel you understand someone's feelings
I identify with your frustration.
neutral"be identified with"
to be strongly associated with something
He is identified with the environmental movement.
formal"self-identify"
to describe one's own identity
How do you self-identify?
formal"identify the elephant in the room"
to point out the obvious problem everyone is ignoring
We need to identify the elephant in the room.
casualEasily Confused
noun vs verb
identity is the thing, identify is the action
My identity is secret; I must identify myself.
similar meaning
recognize is often about memory
I recognized his face but couldn't identify his name.
both involve naming
define is to explain a meaning
Identify the object, then define its purpose.
both involve sorting
classify is about groups
Identify the species, then classify it.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + identify + object
I identified the bird.
Subject + identify + object + as + noun
They identified the substance as gold.
Subject + identify + with + noun
I identify with his struggle.
Subject + be + identified + by + agent
The culprit was identified by the witness.
Subject + identify + object + by + gerund
She identified the tree by looking at the leaves.
Família de palavras
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Relacionado
How to Use It
8
Formality Scale
Erros comuns
Identify is the verb, identity is the noun.
You identify someone as something.
Identify is naming, describe is explaining details.
You can identify objects, but 'spot' might be more natural.
The root is identity, so it keeps the 'i'.
Tips
Memory Palace
Put a name tag on everything in your room.
Native Speakers
We use it when we are sure about a fact.
Cultural Insight
It is a key word in mystery novels.
Grammar Shortcut
Identify + as/with.
Say It Right
Focus on the 'i' sounds.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't confuse with identity.
Did You Know?
It comes from 'the same'.
Study Smart
Use flashcards with images.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
I-DENT-I-FY: I DENTify the dent in my car.
Visual Association
A detective with a magnifying glass looking at a footprint.
Word Web
Desafio
Identify 5 objects in your room right now.
Origem da palavra
Latin
Original meaning: To make the same
Contexto cultural
Be careful when asking someone to 'identify' themselves; it can sound like an interrogation.
Used heavily in police procedurals and academic writing.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at work
- identify the problem
- identify the goal
- identify the risks
science
- identify the species
- identify the sample
- identify the source
daily life
- identify the song
- identify the person
- identify the item
law
- identify the suspect
- identify the evidence
- identify the witness
Conversation Starters
"Can you identify your favorite movie?"
"How do you identify with your favorite characters?"
"Is it easy for you to identify plants?"
"Have you ever identified a mistake in a document?"
"Why is it important to identify your goals?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you identified a problem.
Who do you identify with in history?
How do you identify yourself to others?
Describe an object and identify its parts.
Perguntas frequentes
8 perguntasIt is neutral but often used in formal reports.
Use it when you feel a connection to someone.
Yes, in many contexts.
Yes, you can identify a plant or a car.
Identity.
Yes, that means identifying it wrongly.
Yes.
No, but it has a suffix -fy.
Teste-se
Can you ___ the cat in the picture?
Identify fits the context of naming/pointing out.
What does 'identify' mean?
Identify is to name or recognize.
You can identify a person by their name.
Names are markers of identity.
Word
Significado
These are synonyms.
Subject-verb-object structure.
Pontuação: /5
Summary
To identify is to bring clarity to the unknown by naming or recognizing it.
- Identify means to name or recognize.
- It is a versatile verb used in many contexts.
- The noun form is identity.
- It comes from Latin for 'making the same'.
Memory Palace
Put a name tag on everything in your room.
Native Speakers
We use it when we are sure about a fact.
Cultural Insight
It is a key word in mystery novels.
Grammar Shortcut
Identify + as/with.
Exemplo
I can identify the bird by its unique blue feathers.
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