Cool MateRemain vs Stay with me
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Remain
Top 1,000 (very common)B1
Stay with me
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Remain
| Remain | Stay with me | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈmeɪn/","/rɪˈmeɪnz/","/rɪˈmeɪnd/","/rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈmeɪn/","/rɪˈmeɪnz/","/rɪˈmeɪnd/","/rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //steɪ wɪð miː//🇺🇸 //steɪ wɪð mi// |
| Meaning | To stay in the same place or condition. | Remain close to me or continue being with me. |
| Example | Please remain silent during the presentation. | When I feel scared at night, I want you to stay with me. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | - |
| Collocations | remain calm, remain silent, remain in place, remain unchanged, remain focused | stay with friends, stay with family, stay with someone |
| Antonyms | leave, depart, exit | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'stay' - 'remain' feels slightly more formal., Used incorrectly in passive constructions., Misplaced in sentences where a continuous tense is needed. | Confused with 'stay for me', which implies waiting instead of being together., Using in overly formal situations, which may sound strange., Misunderstanding as a command rather than a request. |
| Usage notes | Use 'remain' in both written and spoken English. It's suitable for formal contexts, like reports or discussions, but also works in everyday conversation. Avoid using it in casual slang as it sounds too formal. | Used in emotional or urgent situations to ask someone to not leave or to continue supporting. More common in informal contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Remain vs Stay with me
What's the difference between Remain and Stay with me?
Remain: To stay in the same place or condition. Stay with me: Remain close to me or continue being with me.
Which is more common: Remain and Stay with me?
Remain is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Remain: Please remain silent during the presentation. Stay with me: When I feel scared at night, I want you to stay with me.
Can I use Remain and Stay with me interchangeably?
Not always. Remain and Stay with me are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.