What is contact? Pronunciation and usage in English

contact means . Learn how to pronounce and use contact through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of contact

contactnoun

/ˈkɒntakt/
Definition & pronunciation of contact

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "contact." It's a tricky one for some! Here's a breakdown:

The most common and generally accepted pronunciation is:

  • KON-takt

Let's break that down further:

  • KON: This sounds like the "con" in "connect" or "construct." It's a clear, short "k" sound followed by an "oh" sound.
  • takt: This sounds like "tack" (like a tack for a bulletin board), but with a slightly shorter "a" sound. It’s a quick, unstressed "t" sound.

Here’s a helpful breakdown with phonetic symbols (International Phonetic Alphabet - IPA):

[ˈkɒn.tækt]

Tips for getting it right:

  • Stress: The primary stress is on the first syllable ("KON").
  • "a" in "takt": Don't say it like “act.” It’s closer to the "ack" in "back".
  • Speed: The "takt" part is relatively quick and unstressed.

Resources for Hearing it:

Do you want me to:

  • Repeat the pronunciation slowly?
  • Give you some example sentences to practice with?

Usage and examples with the word contact in English

Let's break down how to use the word "contact" in English. It's a surprisingly versatile word with several different meanings! Here's a categorized breakdown with examples:

1. Making Contact (Establishing Communication)

  • Meaning: To begin communication with someone.
  • Phrases:
    • "I need to make contact with the supplier." (Start a conversation)
    • "I tried to get in touch with her, but she didn't answer." (Similar meaning – attempt to connect)
    • "We need to establish contact with the local authorities." (Formal – to begin communication officially)
    • "The email gave me contact information." (Included contact details)

2. Contact Information (Details for reaching someone)

  • Meaning: The details needed to get in touch with someone (phone number, email, address, social media).
  • Examples:
    • "Here’s my contact information: email address, phone number, and postal address."
    • "Please provide your contact details so we can confirm the appointment."
    • “I’ve saved their contact details in my phone.”

3. Contacting a Disease / Condition (The process of infection)

  • Meaning: The act of a disease or illness entering and affecting the body.
  • Examples:
    • “The virus contacted the lungs.” (The virus entered and affected the lungs)
    • "The bacteria contacted the wound." (The bacteria entered and infected the wound)
    • “She’s been contacted by a specialist.” (She has been diagnosed or examined.)

4. Contacting (Touching or coming into contact with something)

  • Meaning: To physically touch or come into contact with something.
  • Examples:
    • "Be careful not to contact the hot stove." (Don't touch it)
    • "The rain contacted the window panes." (The rain fell on the windows)
    • “The dog contacted the ball.” (The dog touched the ball).

5. Contact (As a Verb - Relating to something)

  • Meaning: Relating to or concerning something.
  • Examples:
    • "There’s a contact point on the pipe." (A place where the pipe connects)
    • "The new regulations have a significant contact with the legal system.” (Relating to the legal system)

6. Contact (In a Group or Organization - Member)

  • Meaning: A member of a group or organization.
  • Examples:
    • “He’s a key contact for our organization.” (A valuable member)
    • “We need to speak to a contact within the department.” (Someone who works in that department)

Here’s a table summarizing the different uses:

Use Meaning Example
Communication To begin communication "I need to make contact with the client."
Information Details for reaching someone "Here’s my contact information."
Disease The process of infection "The virus contacted the bloodstream."
Touching To physically touch "The water contacted the rocks."
Relating Concerning or relating to "This has a contact with the issue."
Group A member of a group "He's a vital contact for our team."

To help me give you even more tailored advice, could you tell me:

  • In what context are you trying to use the word "contact"? (e.g., writing an email, talking about a medical situation, describing a physical object?)

Synonyms for the word contact

Idioms of the word contact

point of contact
a place where you go or a person that you speak to when you are dealing with an organization
  • The receptionist is the first point of contact most people have with the clinic.

Practice with vocabulary contact

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. To successfully coordinate the international project, you'll need to establish regular ______ with all team leaders.
  2. The safety protocol states that electrical components should not come into direct ______ with water.
  3. Despite repeated attempts, we were unable to ______ the manager before the deadline.
  4. She maintains strong professional ______ with her former colleagues, often collaborating on new research.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. To ensure smooth project execution, continuous ______ with all international partners is essential. a) dialogue b) coordination c) communication d) contact

  2. Before submitting your application, you should ______ the admissions office for clarification on the requirements. a) inquire b) consult c) contact d) communicate

  3. The diplomat's primary goal was to establish diplomatic ______ with the newly formed government. a) rapport b) relations c) contact d) alliance

  4. Employees are advised to maintain a safe ______ from heavy machinery while it is in operation. a) distance b) interval c) separation d) gap

  5. The successful launch of the product required close ______ between the engineering and marketing teams. a) cooperation b) collaboration c) interaction d) synergy

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. Original: Please get in touch with our customer service team if you experience any issues. Rewrite using "contact":

  2. Original: The research team needs to maintain regular communication with their counterparts in Germany. Rewrite using "contact":

  3. Original: We need to reach out to the stakeholders to inform them about the budget changes. Rewrite without "contact":

Answer:

Exercise 1:

  1. contact
  2. contact
  3. reach
  4. connections

Exercise 2:

  1. c) communication, d) contact
  2. c) contact (a) inquire is also possible, depending on the specific nuance of 'clarification')
  3. b) relations, c) contact
  4. a) distance, c) separation
  5. a) cooperation, b) collaboration, c) interaction

Exercise 3:

  1. Please contact our customer service team if you experience any issues.
  2. The research team needs to maintain regular contact with their counterparts in Germany.
  3. We need to communicate with the stakeholders to inform them about the budget changes.

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