If you’re stuck between separate and seperate, here’s the clean answer: only separate is the standard spelling. Seperate shows up a lot because it “sounds” right to many people, but it isn’t treated as a standard form in modern English writing.
The Short, Reliable Choice
✅ Correct
separate (with “-ar-”)
❌ Incorrect
seperate (common misspelling)
A solid spelling check: separate has the “ar” in the middle. ✅Source
The Correct Spelling
Separate is the accepted spelling in everyday English, academic English, and professional English. The middle is “-ar-”, not “-er-”, even when the word is spoken quickly and the vowel sounds soft.
What Separate Means
Separate is flexible: it works as a verb (“to divide”) and as an adjective (“kept apart”). It can also appear as a noun in some contexts, though that’s less common in everyday writing. ✅Source
- Verb: to divide, disconnect, or keep things apart.
- Adjective: not together, independent, or in different spaces.
- Noun (less common): an item designed to be worn with other pieces; usually used in plural as separates.
Why Seperate Happens
The misspelling seperate usually comes from sound-based spelling. In normal speech, the middle vowel in separate often reduces, so your ear doesn’t clearly “hear” the letter that belongs there.
What Your Ear Hears
In fast speech, the middle part can feel like “sep-uh-…” rather than “sep-a-…”. That’s why “e” sneaks in.
What The Word Keeps
The standard spelling stays separate, even when the vowel is unstressed. Written English often keeps older spellings that don’t match modern pronunciation perfectly.
Another quiet driver is pattern confusion. People see words with similar endings and try to “match” them in their head. With separate, that backfires because the middle isn’t built around an “-e-” pattern.
Pronunciation and Stress
Separate is one of those words where part of speech can change the sound. Many dictionaries list a shorter pronunciation for the adjective and a longer “-ate” sound for the verb. ✅Source
- Adjective (describes a noun)
- UK /ˈsep.ər.ət/ and US /ˈsep.ɚ.ət/
- Verb (an action)
- UK /ˈsep.ər.eɪt/ and US /ˈsep.ə.reɪt/
That pronunciation switch is exactly why seperate feels tempting. When the middle vowel is light, spelling by sound can point you to an “e”, even though the written form is still separate.
Parts of Speech and Word Family
Seeing the word family helps because the “a” is consistent across the common relatives. If you’ve met separation or separately, you’ve already seen the same spelling backbone.
Common Relatives
- separation (noun) the act or state of being separate
- separately (adverb) individually
- separable (adjective) able to be separated
Root Background
Major dictionaries trace separate back to Latin sēparāre (“to divide”). That history helps explain why the spelling doesn’t follow the neatest modern sound rules. ✅Source
A popular memory line is: there’s a rat in separate. It’s a tiny detail, but it matches the real letters.
Examples in Context
These examples keep things simple and real-world. Notice how separate behaves as a verb in some lines and as an adjective in others.
✅ Correct Examples
- Please keep the invoices separate from the receipts. (adjective)
- We need to separate the meeting into two sessions. (verb)
- The sauce may separate if it sits too long. (verb)
- They booked two separate rooms. (adjective)
❌ Incorrect Examples (Spelling)
- Please keep the invoices seperate from the receipts. (misspelling)
- We need to seperate the meeting into two sessions. (misspelling)
- The sauce may seperate if it sits too long. (misspelling)
- They booked two seperate rooms. (misspelling)
Reference Table
This table is a spot-check tool: it shows the standard forms you’ll actually see in edited writing and the one spelling that keeps causing trouble.
| Form | Type | Meaning Snapshot | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| separate | verb | to divide or keep apart | ✅ Correct |
| separate | adjective | not together; distinct | ✅ Correct |
| separation | noun | the state or act of being apart | ✅ Correct |
| separately | adverb | individually; not together | ✅ Correct |
| separable | adjective | able to be separated | ✅ Correct |
| seperate | spelling | a common misspelling of separate | ❌ Incorrect |
FAQ
Common Questions About separate and seperate
Is seperate ever correct?
In modern standard English, seperate is treated as a misspelling. The accepted form is separate, with “-ar-” in the middle.
Why does separate use “a” when many people hear “e”?
The middle vowel is often unstressed, so it can sound neutral in speech. The written form still keeps the historical spelling with “a”.
Does pronunciation change between the verb and the adjective?
Often, yes. Many references list separate with a short ending for the adjective and a clear “-ate” sound for the verb, which is one reason the spelling feels tricky.
Can separate be a noun?
It can, though it’s less common in everyday writing. You’ll most often see the plural separates for clothing pieces designed to mix and match.
What’s the easiest visual check for the spelling?
Look for the “ar” in the middle: separate. That’s the standard form across common relatives like separation and separately.
Does capitalization change the spelling?
No. Whether it’s Separate at the start of a sentence or separate in the middle, the spelling stays the same. Only the first letter changes, not the “-ar-”.