relate
B1neutral
Definition
Meaning
to show or make a connection between two or more things; to tell a story or describe an event
to feel sympathy with or understand someone/something; to have a social or personal connection with someone
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb has both transitive and intransitive uses. In transitive sense, it means 'to connect' or 'to narrate'. In intransitive sense with 'to', it means 'to have a connection' or 'to interact well with'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Both use 'relate to' for connections and understanding. Slight preference in British English for 'relate' meaning 'tell/narrate' in formal contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, 'relate to' suggests empathy or shared experience. 'Relate' as 'tell' is slightly more formal/literary.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties. Slightly higher frequency in American English in psychological/self-help contexts ('I can relate to that').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
relate something to somethingrelate to somebody/somethingrelate that...relate how...relate somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “relate to each other”
- “hard to relate to”
- “can't relate”
- “relate back to”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to connect data, results, or strategies: 'These figures relate directly to our quarterly targets.'
Academic
Used to establish connections between concepts, theories, or findings: 'The study relates social factors to educational outcomes.'
Everyday
Used for personal connections and understanding: 'I really relate to characters who face similar challenges.'
Technical
Used in mathematics, logic, and computing to describe relationships between elements or variables.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Can you relate this evidence to the main argument?
- She related an amusing anecdote about her travels.
- Teenagers often relate better to younger teachers.
American English
- How does this relate to our project goals?
- He related the story of how they met.
- I can totally relate to feeling overwhelmed at work.
adverb
British English
- No adverb form in common use
American English
- No adverb form in common use
adjective
British English
- No adjective form in common use
American English
- No adjective form in common use
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I relate to my sister because we like the same music.
- The teacher related a funny story to the class.
- These two pictures relate to each other.
- Can you relate what happened yesterday to today's problems?
- Children relate better to stories with animals.
- The report relates economic growth to education levels.
- The witness related how the accident occurred in detail.
- It's difficult to relate to people who have very different values.
- The study relates sleep patterns to academic performance.
- The author skillfully relates the protagonist's childhood trauma to their adult decisions.
- Few politicians can genuinely relate to the struggles of ordinary citizens.
- His research relates quantum phenomena to macroscopic biological processes.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of RE-LATE: to make something LATE again by connecting it to something else that happened.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONNECTION IS A THREAD (weaving stories together, tying ideas)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'рассказывать' when meaning 'connect'
- Don't confuse with 'relative' (родственник)
- 'Relate to' ≠ 'относиться к' in all contexts
- Remember 'relate' requires preposition 'to' for connections
Common Mistakes
- Using 'relate with' instead of 'relate to'
- Omitting 'to' after 'relate' when meaning 'connect'
- Confusing 'relate' (verb) with 'relation' (noun)
- Using 'relate' without object when transitive meaning intended
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'relate' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Relate to' is standard for connections and understanding. 'Relate with' is non-standard and should be avoided in formal writing.
Yes, in intransitive use with 'to': 'I can relate to that feeling.' Without 'to', it usually means 'to interact socially': 'They relate well at parties.'
Yes, 'relatable' (adjective) is now standard, meaning 'easy to relate to' or 'creating feelings of connection.'
Quite formal/literary. In everyday speech, 'tell', 'describe', or 'recount' are more common for narration.