Conversate vs Converse | Meaning & Examples
“Converse” is most frequently used as a verb that means “engage in conversation” (e.g., “Let’s converse about this later on”).
“Conversate” is a nonstandard word that also means “have a conversation,” but because it doesn’t follow standard English conventions, it should be avoided in professional and academic settings.
- Best option: We will converse about our worries during lunch.
- Nonstandard (but sometimes accepted): We will conversate about our worries during lunch.
Formal context:
- Best option: Sasha and Raphael wanted to converse but kept getting
interrupted. - Not accepted: Sasha and Raphael wanted to conversate but kept getting interrupted.
Table of contents
Converse definition
The word “converse” can function as a verb, noun, or adjective.
As a verb, “converse” means “have a conversation with someone” (e.g., “The team will converse about their ideas during the meeting”). When used as a verb, “converse” is pronounced by emphasizing the last syllable (con-verse).
As a noun, “converse” refers to something that is opposite, or reversed to something else (e.g., “Cats are independent, and the converse is true of dogs”).
When used as an adjective, “converse” has a similar meaning and describes something as opposite or reverse in order, relation, or action (e.g., “She had a converse perspective compared to him”).
As a noun and adjective, “converse” is pronounced by emphasizing the first syllable (con-verse).
| Verb | Noun | Adjective |
|---|---|---|
| They conversed about their high school memories. | In this case, the converse was true; building fewer roads meant less traffic. | He had a converse reaction to the news. |
| Laura and Steph wanted to converse about their experiences. | She had a compelling argument, but the converse was also persuasive. | The group had converse results compared to the rest of the class. |
| We were conversing about our dreams and aspirations. | Luke was shy, and the converse was true of Ashley. | The two scientists worked on converse ends of the project. |
Conversate definition
“Conversate” is a nonstandard word that has been used in the English language for over 200 years, meaning “engage in conversation.”
This word was created via the process of back-formation, which entails removing and substituting affixes. In this case, the suffix “-ion” was removed from “conversation” and replaced with an “e” to create “conversate.”
“Conversate,” like the word “irregardless,” doesn’t follow typical word usage, grammatical constructions, or other English conventions. For this reason, it should be avoided in formal writing. Instead, use the verb “converse.”
However, it is possible to still come across the word “conversate,” especially in casual conversations.
They requested to conversate with the CEO of the company.
William asked if we could conversate with the clients about a potential deal.
“Conversating” is often used as the present participle of “conversate,” but it’s also considered nonstandard. The preferred present participle of “converse” is “conversing.”
- We were conversating about the movie when he walked in.
- We were conversing about the movie when he walked in.
Similarly, “conversated” is sometimes used as a past participle and past-tense verb but is also viewed as nonstandard. The preferred word to use is “conversed.”
- I conversated with him about potential developments.
- I conversed with him about potential developments.
