What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
appertain
Example
These documents appertain to the legal case we are working on. [appertain: verb]
Example
The rules and regulations appertaining to this organization must be followed. [appertaining: present participle]
pertain
Example
The discussion mainly pertained to the issue of climate change. [pertain: verb]
Example
The guidelines pertain to all employees in the company. [pertain: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Pertain is more commonly used than appertain in everyday language. Pertain is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while appertain is less common and has a more formal tone.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between appertain and pertain?
While appertain is typically associated with a more formal tone, pertain is more versatile and can be employed in both formal and informal contexts.
