Which to use
“they're” and “they've” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #321
- “they're” frequency rank
- #1,803
- “they've” frequency rank
- 2124
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | they're | they've |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Contraction of they + are. | they have |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set they're and they've apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. they're (/ðɛə/) and they've (/ðeɪv/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by a single letter - r in “they're” becomes v in “they've”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 2124, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
they're is recorded at frequency rank #321, classified as acontraction, pronounced /ðɛə/. they've is at rank #1,803, tagged as acontraction, pronounced /ðeɪv/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 2124, this pair ranks #525,803 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of they're vs they've
Shared letters: ehty. Private to "they're": r. Private to "they've": v.
"they're" · 6 letters · shape CCVVCV · "they've" · 6 letters · shape CCVVCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "they're" and "they've" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "they're" or "they've"?
Remembering they're vs they've
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “they're” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable