# Help me remember how to spell the word 'separate' **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 28, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569 "2011-05-28T15:48:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/21 "2011-05-29T04:54:41Z")
Get a tattoo. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/22 "2011-05-29T10:26:16Z")
> [@Joe\_Kerrman](#): > > I am a writer and editor in real life, so I am qualified to give advice here. Finally a thread where I can do that! 😃 > > I find it helps me to say the words improperly, but as they’re spelled, when I’m writing. I make sure I pronounce it /sepUHrayte/ to myself as I’m typing. Same with /austraLEEuh/ (Australia) and /SIMeyelahr/ (similar) and such. > > It also helps that I’m a goof in real life so when I walk around saying “I’m going to /austraLEEuh/ on vacation” people don’t look at me like this :dubious: TOO much. I do the same thing, and it helps tremendously. Except I say sep-AH-rate when I’m typing it, and it’s never leaked into normal conversation–unlike, say, hyper-bowl. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/23 "2011-05-29T10:33:18Z")
Great minds must think (or misspell) alike, because _separate_ is a word I always used to misspell. What’s strange is that one would expect to eventually remember the correct spelling! No: One remembers that one has trouble with the spelling and some Imp of the Perverse insists on continually misspelling it. Here’s what finally worked for me. A distinguished scientist was invited to hear my invention idea and I eagerly awaited his feedback. His first comment? “seperable is misspelled.” :smack: I don’t think I ever misspelled it again after that. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/24 "2011-05-29T11:51:05Z")
I was taught to picture a hillbillly – call him “Sep” – listening as his shrieking wife sees a rat scurry across the floor. “Sep! A rat! E!” ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/25 "2011-05-29T12:42:22Z")
I misspelled it on a 9th grade history test. I had to write it 20 times on the back of my paper. Have not made the mistake again. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/26 "2011-05-29T12:54:08Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > This. > > My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Tubbs gave me that advice and it has stuck with me. > > “Remember, there is always ‘a rat’ in sep a rat e.” This works best. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/27 "2011-05-29T14:46:52Z")
> [@BDoors](#): > > And [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) tells me that both words ultimately come from the same Latin root. For some reason, it’s the actual Latin word parare that has stuck in my mind, which does the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/28 "2011-05-29T14:49:19Z")
I have the same problem. Looking at the OP, it occurred to me the best bet is probably going to try to remember it is Sepa Rate. Break into two words, remember the first is Sepa. By next week I’ll be spelling it as Sepahrate. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/29 "2011-05-31T02:28:34Z")
> [@justpassingthrough](#): > > se(e) Pa rate (doesn’t work well as a visual, but say it aloud) Me too. Every time I write it I hear see Pa rate in my head. ---
**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/30 "2011-05-31T04:18:40Z")
I also do the exaggerated “seh-PAH-Rate” sounding-it-out thing. Another suggestion for this one might be this: every vowel that could be an “a”, is. That is, max out the number of “a”'s. (This is similar to how I remember “Tennessee” and “committee”… just double every letter that is even remotely double-able.) ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/31 "2011-05-31T13:19:43Z")
I think of “pare,” like **BDoors** mentioned above. But, when this was a spelling word for my third grader, we made up a silly sentence: **S** even **E** lderly **P** igs **A** re **R** unning **A** round **T** he **E** lephant ---
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/32 "2011-05-31T13:57:16Z")
There was a poster in my elementary school classroom that read…as best I can type: “sepArate”. The “A” was drawn as a mountain…with snow on the top, etc. It was a simple visual mnemonic devise that showed a physical separation of the word via the mountian of the “A”. As a visual guy I find it easier than remembering where rats are located. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/33 "2011-05-31T14:09:14Z")
I’m another rat speller. There’s a rat in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/34 "2011-05-31T23:59:38Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever written the word “separate” without first reciting “there’s _a rat_ in separate.” As soon as I saw the thread title I said, “there’s a rat!” I also have to say “Tom or row” and “_Be uh you_ tiful” to write those words. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/35 "2011-06-01T02:10:57Z")
> [@BDoors](#): > > I had the same problem, and what worked for me was thinking of the word _pare_. When you _pare an apple, for example, you separ_ate the skin from the rest of the fruit. And [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) tells me that both words ultimately come from the same Latin root. Bad advice. I would end up spelling it se **pare** te. 🙂 mmm ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/36 "2011-06-01T12:43:57Z")
How about “If you se **par** ate the parts, each part will be on a **par** with the other?” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/37 "2011-06-01T15:05:34Z")
I think of the middle “part.” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569/38 "2011-06-01T15:08:29Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > There’s a lot of words in english that, growing up, you learn how to spell using some kind of trick. My teacher back in elementary school used to say that in order to remember how to spell ‘friend’, it’s ‘fri-end’. ‘Principal’ is the person because the principal is your ‘pal’. And of course there’s the classic “i before e except after c” > > But for the life of me, I can’t seem to remember the difference between ‘seperate’ and ‘separate’. They both look correct! I use both regularly, sometimes without even noticing. I would go days sometimes when I’m certain that it’s ‘sepErate’. Help me remember how to spell this word please! “Two E’s separated by two A’s” Does that help? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-remember-how-to-spell-the-word-separate/583569.md?page=1)