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English grammar and communications hints and tips

Is it marinade or marinate?

We use both forms in British English – one is a verb (doing word) and the other a noun (thing).

Marinate

This is the verb ‘to marinate’ something.

Examples:

I marinate this steak.
This meat was marinated for 7 hours.

Marinade

This is the noun ‘a marinade’.

Examples:

I have used this recipe for marinade for years.
This marinade is rather strong.

One way of remembering this is that the word ‘noun’ comes before the word ‘verb’ in the dictionary; likewise ‘d’ comes before ‘t’, so the noun is ‘marinade’ and the verb is ‘marinate’.

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